Preview: Ainsworth on Top of the Table Clash

Surrey Storm Netball host Manchester Thunder at Surrey Sports Park on Saturday for one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the Netball Superleague season.

Surrey Storm v Manchester Thunder
2015 Netball Superleague- Round 8
Saturday 14th March 2015, 7pm
Surrey Sports Park
Highlights on Sky Sports 4, Monday at 7.30pm

Table toppers Manchester Thunder will visit the Sports Park this weekend with the confidence of being unbeaten all season, but with Storm knowing that they have not lost at home in 2 years it will be a tough ask for the visitors to maintain their run of form.

Both sides took wins in round 7 to successfully mark the half-way point of the season, with Thunder securing an emphatic 31-64 victory away to Team Northumbria, while Storm overcame Hertfordshire Mavericks 55-42 at a record-breaking Netball London Live event.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Ainsworth when reflecting on her second London Live event. “Every single one of us walked away with a special feeling.

“It’s not just about the win and the performance. It’s about being part of a passionate, record-breaking crowd. Most of us would never have expected to be able to play in front of so many people at any point of our careers, so it was an occasion to remember.”

Thunder took the spoils in round 1 when the sides met live on Sky Sports to open the 2015 Superleague season, a result which Ainsworth is keen to overturn this weekend: “It was obviously disappointing to lose our first match, but we knew it would be a tough game. Thunder played superb and so did we, it was a treat for fans to watch on TV.

“We have grown as a squad since then and the new players are fully settled in. There is every chance that we will take the win. Having the home crowd behind us will certainly help!”

Storm will also be looking to hand a debut appearance to South African international Bongiwe Msomi during the match following the SPAR Proteas star’s arrival in England earlier this week.

We will have live updates from Saturday’s huge clash with Manchester Thunder on Facebook and Twitter from 6.30pm. Sky Sports will have full match highlights on Monday night’s live Netball Superleague coverage from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 4.