SERENA Guthrie has moved one step closer to Commonwealth Games selection having secured a place in the England Senior Long squad.

The Island’s most successful netball player, who made her senior international debut last season, and her England U21 team mate Stacey Francis have been announced as the two new players who will join the 18-strong squad for the new season.

Despite starting her first year of university, the Team Bath player will be expected to step up her training and work closely with national coach Sue Hawkins, in the run up to playing at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore.

Guthrie said: ‘Getting into the squad is the easy part, it’s staying in that is difficult. I have been training every day and played matches most weekends in preparation for the squad selections. It’s an especially busy time for me and Stacey as we have just returned home from an Australian tour with the U21 squad, standing us in good stead for the build up to the Youth World Championships in the Cook Islands in July 2009.’