Travis shines as England retain crown

HOT SHOT: Alice Travis played a pivotal role in England’s success in Glasgow.

NETBALL:

ALICE Travis played a starring role for England under-17s as they retained the Netball Europe title in Scotland.

The Hulme Grammar School hot-shot displayed her burgeoning talent in all three games at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow.

Alice (15) finished with a 94-per-cent success rate (44 out of 47 attempts) in England’s 67-25 win over the hosts in match one. She bettered those statistics in the 62-29 victory over Wales (43-45, for 95-per-cent).

And the Oldham Netball Club teenager found the target 26 times out of 30 (87-per-cent) in the 70-10 defeat of Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, three girls from Oldham’s Premier League-winning side are in the England squad to face Barbados next month. Defenders Kerry Almond and Emma Dovey (pictured) and centre court player Laura Malcolm are in the 15 for the three-match series.

The first international takes place on April 10, at the LG Arena, Birmingham. The University of Bath stages the second encounter on April 12, with the final showdown at Surrey Sports Park on April 14.

England, coached by Anna Mayes, are ranked third in the world, while Barbados are ninth in the rankings.



AFTER blitzing their rivals in the first phase of the 2012 FIAT Superleague season, Northern Thunder are preparing for the next stage of the competition.

Thunder made it six wins out of six with an emphatic 66-32 victory over Hertfordshire Mavericks.

They are gearing up for another trip to the Hertfordshire Sports Village on Monday, while they are next at home on March 24 against Team Bath (6pm).

Other forthcoming home fixtures at the Manchester Thunderdome, Wright Robinson Sports Arena, Abbey Hey Lane, Manchester, are against Surrey Storm (April 23, 8pm) and Hertfordshire Mavericks (May 5, 6pm).

Tickets available at thundernetball.com or by calling (0161) 832 1111.