Eleanor Cardwell unfussed by spotlight despite star power

By Milly McEvoy, Sportsbeat

A trademark technique, a big move to Australia and the star name in England’s latest squad – but Eleanor Cardwell insists she remains exactly the same.

The 27-year-old from Blackpool will be leading the attacking line for the Vitality Roses having been named in the squad for the three-match series against Uganda which kicks off on October 5.

She will be joined in the shooting circle by a combination of Sophie Drakeford-Lewis and two potential debutants, Olivia Tchine and Paige Reed, but the former Manchester Thunder ace Cardwell is unfussed by the spotlight being on her.

“I've not really thought about it to be honest,” the reigning Vitality Netball Superleague champion said. “I just think I'm one of the team, it's not really something I would ever think about.

“It's still a competition to who's going to get on that court and obviously we've got Liv Tchine, Paige and Soph, so it's going to be hard to get on the court anyway.

“And it's just how I can support the ones who are less experienced in the squad and how I can support them, making them feel comfortable for when they get on the court, whether it's with me or without me.”

Cardwell was practically undroppable at the Commonwealth Games, resigning one of England’s gold-medal-winning heroes from 2018, Helen Housby and Jo Harten, to a seat on the bench for much of the tournament.

Her performances followed her high-profile move from VNSL side Manchester Thunder to Adelaide Thunderbirds in the Suncorp Super Netball league.

While fans may miss seeing Cardwell playing week in, week out, she has a more positive outlook on her move halfway across the world.

She added: “I don't think I’m necessarily saying goodbye. I think I’ve not really had that in my head. To be fair, I'm just still playing for England and then going to club, it's two separate things.

“And obviously, I'll be back next year, so I'll always have my face popping about and whatnot. But it's just an incredibly exciting year.

“It's going to be a tough year but a really exciting one, which I can't wait to get going and start off.”

Cardwell fans will be able to see her in action three more times before she heads off to South Australia, with the Roses playing in Nottingham and London.

And it also presents another opportunity to see ‘the claw’ – Cardwell’s trademark one-handed take that was much-maligned by former England coach Tracey Neville.

But the Lancashire netball star is loving its newfound fame, adding: “It's quite nice, I never really had anything like that. My mum loved the nickname ‘the claw’.

“I've done it all my life. When I was a defender, I used to catch the ball like that, and Tracey Neville used to tell me off every single time I used to do it.

“She still tells me off now but it's nice to get some reward for it, rather than being told to stop it and catch the ball with two hands.

“It comes more naturally for me to catch the ball that way sometimes, it's quite nice to have a little nickname and it’s cool to see it on little posters everywhere.”

Tickets to see the Vitality Roses in action against Uganda are still available from the England Netball website