Four Netball Scholarship Holders Eyeing Commonwealth Glory

Four Western Australian Institute of Sport netball scholarship holders have this week been included in the national Australian Diamonds squad, with Fever stars Caitlin Bassett, Susan Fuhrmann and Madison Browne joined by Adelaide based scholarship holder Kate Beveridge.

Listed in the 22-player squad, the three Fever stars and Beveridge will battle strong competition for a place in the final 12, where they will travel to Delhi in October for the Commonwealth Games and play in the Holden Netball Test series against the Jamaica Sunshine Girls and New Zealand Silver Ferns in August.

Beveridge along with Bassett, Fuhrmann and Browne will head to the AIS on July 21 for a selection camp, before the touring team is announced.

Fuhrmann will have to battle both Melbourne Vixens’ Bianca Chatfield and the Queensland Firebirds’ Laura Geitz to secure her place in the final 12, while for Madison Browne, the camp will be about reclaiming her position as wing attack.

Caitlin Bassett was named in a squad consisting of three goal shooters with veteran Catherine Cox and Thunderbirds goal shooter Kate Beveridge also named, but Bassett’s strong performances in 2010 as the competition’s leading Australian goal scorer should put her a cut above the rest.

Coach Norma Plummer is happy with a squad she believes is filled with young talent.

“The squad is definitely still reflecting youth and experience and we are really pleased about that because we want to keep the development coming so we are not left with too many holes,” Plummer said.

With all positions in the final 12 expected to be hotly contested, Plummer knows the Fever trio will need to perform at the upcoming selection camp.

“All spots will be wide open and players know they have to come in with their game face on for selection.”

– Netball WA