Surrey Storm take on Loughborough Lightning in the Vitality Superleague
Serena Guthrie joins Camilla Buchanan and Di Dougherty for live coverage on Sky Sports Mix from 5.45pm on Saturday
Sunday 24 February 2019 22:53, UK
Surrey Storm and Loughborough Lightning will continue their push for a top-four place at Surrey Sports Park with both teams looking to build on a recent upturn in form.
Going into Round Seven, the teams sit in fifth and sixth place, Storm having the edge on goal difference, but both are locked on nine points with a wobbling Team Bath, who have had key injuries to deal with.
The game also sees two of Superleague's newest coaches go head to head with Storm's Mikki Austin and Lightning's Sara Bayman setting out on their coaching journeys at the same time.
Both Austin and Bayman spoke with Sky Sports in the build-up to this weekend's action and you can hear from both as part of our coverage, which gets underway at 5.45pm on Sky Sports Mix with centre pass at 6pm.
It's been a rollercoaster start for both teams as they seek the consistency to challenge for a place in the top four and their are signs that both are finding their way.
Having lost their opening two games, Storm have now won three of their last four, which started with the notable scalp of Team Bath in Round Three.
Austin has settled on a starting seven and the results have seen them find their way as an attacking force.
Lightning are yet to win back-to-back games this season but last time out achieved the result of the season so far with a win at previously 100 per cent Manchester Thunder.
Bayman's squad have looked strong in spells and have had little problem scoring goals but with the line-up beginning to look a little more settled, Loughborough will hope for successive wins.
Lightning have been beaten in the Grand Final by Wasps in each of the last two years but having undergone a host of changes in the off-season.
Shamera Sterling, Peace Proscovia and Beth Cobden all departed for Suncorp Super Netball and a new look squad have understandably taken a little time to gel.
Storm are also rebuilding under Austin. Having won back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016 they have missed out on the top four in each of the last two years, finishing fifth and seventh but have shown signs they are getting back to their best.
Both teams have designs on the top four and maximum points on Saturday could pave the way for a sustained push to be in the mix at the end of the season.
Watch more Vitality Netball Superleague action when Surrey Storm take on Loughborough Lightning on Saturday, February 23, live on Sky Sports Mix from 5.45pm. Also, Sky Sports will be showing every game of the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup in July.
