Vitality Superleague netball on Sky Sports with Wasps against Team Bath
Sunday 22 April 2018 15:53, UK
Four of England's Commonwealth Games gold-medal winning squad are in action as the Vitality Superleague returns to Sky Sports this weekend.
Sky Sports will be at Coventry's Ricoh Arena for the resumption of the league after a month off for the Commonwealths and there are four matches this weekend, culminating in Sunday's high profile meeting of the current champions Wasps and Team Bath, the competition's most successful team with five titles.
Centre pass is at 3pm with coverage underway on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Mix from 2.45pm when Di Dougherty, Pamela Cookey and the team will be speaking to the Roses golden girls.
Wasps' 150-cap mid-courter Jade Clarke and attacker Natalie Haythornthwaite along with Bath defender Eboni Beckford-Chambers and attacker Kadeen Corbin are all expected to play for a game that pits the league-leading and Wasps against third-placed Bath.
Netball is enjoying a higher profile than ever before after the success of Tracey Neville's team who beat Australia in the last second to record a memorable first world crown and the UK's domestic competition will be looking to showcase their own profile.
"We always get great support down at the Ricoh Arena already but hopefully the Commonwealth Games success will get even more people to start buying into netball," said Wasps director of netball Tamsin Greenway.
"And of course our Ricoh Arena court is also the home of the next Commonwealth Games netball tournament in 2022 when the games come to Birmingham."
Wasps have won all eight of their games as they look to defend the title they won last year, while Bath have won five of their six games so far and boast a squad full of star names.
Bath are the visitors on Sunday and also have Chelsea Lewis (Wales) and Zanele Vimbela (South Africa) back in their ranks as they look to build on their own fine start to the season.
"We are really looking forward to facing Wasps as it will be a real test of where we are, not just after the Commonwealth break but overall," said coach Anna Stembridge.
"It feels like a long time ago that the season began but we are not even halfway through yet. Both teams have started well and it should be a really good contest."
"We can't wait to welcome them back into the Blue and Gold, we are immensely proud of all of them," said Stembridge. "They are massive team players and have been keeping in touch with the squad throughout the Games through the WhatsApp player group."
Also in the Superleague this weekend second-placed Manchester Thunder get the action going when they face Surrey Storm on Saturday night, Team Northumbria host the Severn Stars with benecosMavericks heading to Loughborough.
The Vitality Superleague returns on Sunday with Wasps in action against Team Bath. Coverage gets underway from 2.45pm on Sky Sports Action & Sky Sports Mix, which you can find on channel 287, and is free for all Sky customers
Follow the 2018 Superleague season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/Netball with news, previews, reports and expert analysis throughout the season. And also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkyNetball - #BelieveTheHype
