New England Captain Announced!

Former England vice captain Amanda Newton’s recovery from a knee reconstruction was completed with her appointment as the international squad’s new captain earlier this week.

Newton, a member of England’s bronze medal winning teams at the 1996 World Youth Championships, 1998 Commonwealth Games and 1999 World Championships, ruptured her Anterior Cruciate Ligament in 2003 and missed two full international seasons during her recovery, but was recalled to the England squad in 2005-6 after impressive performances in domestic competitions. Despite narrowly missing out on England’s 2006 Commonwealth Games squad, Amanda co-captained Mavericks to the runners’ up spot in the 2006 Superleague, and was selected for the England tour to Fiji last June, during which she impressed both on and off the court.

Amanda herself is thrilled by her appointment: “While I was injured, my main focus was regaining my place in England’s squad – never in my wildest dreams did I think I might one day become captain! There is so much more that I want to contribute to England, both internationally and domestically, and I am thrilled to be given the chance to lead my country, and act as a positive role model for others.”

Meanwhile, Karen Atkinson of Loughborough Lightning has been named as England’s vice captain. A senior England international since 1997, Karen has also been part of England’s medal winning teams at two Commonwealth Games and the 1999 World Championships and also has invaluable experience of Antipodean netball, gained during a season with the Capital Shakers, one of New Zealand’s Superleague teams.

The first international challenge for the England team under the new leadership will come in January, 07 when the side meets world no 5 ranked team South Africa, in three test matches as the start of the build up to the 2007 World Netball Championships in Fiji.