In an exclusive interview with BettingSites.co.uk, we chatted to the head coach, director of Netball and player at Super League side Surrey Storm – Mikki Austin – to get her views on the 2023 Netball World Cup.
This year’s Netball World Cup will run from Friday 28th July to Sunday 6th August, with England, Scotland and Wales all taking part. All eyes will be on the 11-times winners Australia, who are the betting favourites, and also the current holders New Zealand.
However, when pressed about her idea of the winner, Mikki Austin thinks there will be a new country gracing the Netball hall-of-fame this year.
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Interview Highlights:
- Jamaica have developed a winning mentality
- If I was a betting woman, I’d be siding with Jamaica
- I expect hosts South Africa to have a bronze finish target
Jamaica have developed a winning mentality
The Netball World Cup gets going on Friday 28th July and will run till Sunday 6th August.
The home nations of England, who have been third in the last three competitions, Wales and Scotland are all heading to South Africa, where a lot of the focus will be on the 11-time champions Australia, who are favourites again, plus the current holders New Zealand.
However, after speaking to Surrey Storm’s Mikki Austin, she feels there will be a new country gracing the Netball World Cup hall-of-fame this time.
“They (Jamaica) just don’t know how to lose and have started to develop a real winning mentality which is a really scary prospect for their opponents.”
If I was a betting woman, I’d be siding with Jamaica
Following on from Mikki Austin highlighting Jamaica as the team she fears most in the upcoming Netball World Cup, the Surrey Storm star told us if she was a betting woman this is where her money would be going.
Jamaica, who have been third three times in the event over the years, have been on offer at around 3/1 in the build-up to the competition and Austin is not shocked they priced shorter than England (5/1) and the holders New Zealand (9/2) – with Australia the Evs favourites.
“Jamaica at the minute just keep going from strength-to-strength and if I was a betting woman this is the side who I would be putting my money on.”
I expect hosts South Africa to have a bronze finish target
This year’s Netball World Cup will be staged in South Africa for the first time and when quizzed about the chances of the hosts, Mikki Austin feels they can go well.
South Africa’s best finish was third back in the 1967 Netball World Cup and Austin is predicting the same result here for the hosts.
“For the neutral – looking at this Netball World Cup – it’s probably the most exciting one yet, because of the unpredictability factor. It’s a home World Cup for Netball South Africa, who have invested a hell of a lot in their International team over the last 12 months so I’m absolutely certain they are going to be targeting that bronze medal.”
Mikki Austin is the Director of Netball, Head Coach and Player for Vitality Netball Super League Team, Surrey Storm. She joined Storm in 2014 and helped guide them to their first title, which they then defended in 2016. In 2018 Austin was appointed director of netball, a role which also saw her become head coach of Surrey Storm as well.
