Saturday 23 September 2017 07:07, UK
Playing their netball on the other side of the world proved to be no barrier for Helen Housby and Sara Bayman when the call came for a return to Manchester and the Fast5 All Stars Championship.
The pair, who were part of the England squad for the recent Quad Series and Taini Jamison Trophy, are well known to Thunder head coach Karen Greig who wasted little time in chasing the pair when the organisers made it known that there was space in the squad for two 'All Stars'.
In fact, Greig had no regard for the time difference when it came to bringing back the former favourites.
"I woke at about 6am in the morning with a message from Greigy saying open this message! I thought I need to respond or she'll be on my case," Bayman told Sky Sports' Gail Davis.
"It's exciting, a new competition and something different and I think it will capture the imagination with the different rules.
"I was really keen to play, I'm a Thunder girl so I was happy to get the message and be back in Thunder colours."
Former Thunder captain Bayman and Academy product Housby left the team at the end of the 2016 season for English netballers ultimate test - playing in the ultra competitive and professional domestic leagues in Australia and New Zealand.
Bayman enjoyed a season with Central Pulse that saw them finish as runner-up in the ANZ Championship while Housby's Swifts finished 6th in the Australian Super Netball campaign.
And Housby is under no illusions about the effect a season in the Southern Hemisphere has had on her career.
"Going out to Sydney has massively improved my game, it's a total change in mindset as you are focusing on netball," she said.
"Training every day and putting yourself under pressure in international standard matches every week against the best opposition in the world. I feel my game has come on and it was one of the reasons I wanted to go in the first place.
"I've seen Serena [Guthrie] and Jo [Harten] come back as such strong players who have taken their game to the next level and that's what I want to do."
This weekend, they will be back in the Black and Amber at The O2 on Sky Sports when they take to the court in the inaugural Fast5 All Stars Championship, where Thunder go up against eight other Superleague franchises with a £100,000 prize fund on the line.
And Housby admits it wasn't just Sara who was on the receiving end from Greig.
"Like Sara I got a message and thought I better get back to them" she added.
"I've only ever played my netball for Thunder so I feel like I have a loyalty to them. I love putting on the black and yellow and the girls we play with are so great.
"I have so many good memories that it was an easy decision and once my schedule was cleared to play it, it was 'Yes I will do it."
Helen and Sara were talking to Sky Sports' Gail Davis and you can see the interview in full from 5pm on Sky Sports Mix on Saturday. Catch the action, live Sky Sports Mix, from 5pm on Saturday, September 23.
Tickets for the British Fast5 All-Stars Championship are available now from www.theo2.co.uk and start from just £20 with group tickets available priced from £60 for four adults. VIP Courtside tickets are available for £150 from www.fast5allstars.com.
And follow the 2018 Vitality Superleague season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/Netball also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkyNetball
