Aussie snub for Lightning
SUNSHINE Coast’s historic Super Netball premiership has counted for little in the Australian selection room with Caitlin Bassett the only Lightning player to make the cut for the Diamonds’ Quad Series campaign.
Bassett and Firebirds pair Gabi Simpson and Gretel Tippett were the only Queensland-based players to make the 12-strong squad for the Quad Series.
Australia will play England, New Zealand and South Africa in the Quad Series in August and September.
Their first clash, against England, is at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on August 26.
The Diamonds also named their squad for the Constellation Cup series against New Zealand in September and October, and Lightning young gun Stephanie Wood will join Bassett and Simpson for that fourmatch tour.
They are new-look Australian squads, most notably because of the absence of long-serving Australian captain Laura Geitz, who quit the sport to give birth to her first child.
The other notable omission was veteran shooter Natalie Medhurst, who was overlooked despite being the seventh most-capped player in the game with 86 Tests.
The Lightning made history this month by winning the inaugural Super Netball premiership in just their first season.
Despite that, the Diamonds squads for the two tournaments are dominated by Collingwood Magpies players, despite their muchhyped debut season finishing in fourth spot.
Australian coach Lisa Alexander said she felt blessed with the glut of shooting talent as she looked towards the defence of their Commonwealth Games crown on the Gold Coast next year.
She admitted dropping Medhurst had been difficult and “emotional’’.
“It was extremely tough. It cuts deep,’’ Alexander said of Medhurst’s omission
“She has been enormous for us. Just wonderful.’’
“Numbers-wise this is tougher than selecting an Australian cricket team.”
The annual Constellation Cup series with world No. 2 New Zealand, played on both sides of the Tasman, begins on October 5 in Auckland.
Lightning captain Geva Mentor is expected to be named as England captain for the two tournaments, while Karla Mostert will represent South Africa.