Barrowford’s Natalie Haythornthwaite helped England Under 21s win the Netball Europe competition in Cardiff at the weekend.
Having recently returned from a tour series Down Under against the Australian Institute of Sport, Natalie and the Under 21s opened with a 70-11 victory over Scotland last Friday, as astrong starting seven, with a vast amount of Netball Superleague experience, gathered some early momentum.
And England again hit the 70-goal mark the following day as they ran out convincing winners over Northern Ireland, who scored 20 goals of their own.
That set up a winner-takes-all showdown with hosts Wales on Sunday afternoon.
The sides were locked at 12-12 after the first quarter, before England took a 24-20 half-time lead. The second half was an edgy and nervous affair, but England managed to claim a 45-39 win and take the trophy back across the River Severn.