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There will be a couple of familiar faces to England in the Barbados squad this evening as sisters Kadeen and Sasha Corbin take to court for the first time for the Caribbean team.

The pair opted to switch their allegiance from England to Barbados for one last foray in a netball dress together, with Sasha set to retire after the World Cup.

Kadeen was part of the England team that triumphed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games while 35-year-old sibling Sasha was in the England squad that finished fourth at the previous Commonwealths in 2014.

Neither have featured for the Roses for a few years but what a return to international netball up against England.

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Scotland are also getting their campaign underway this evening at the same time as England. They face Malawi in the other Pool B match.

Thistles captain Claire Maxwell says she hopes her side do not "underachieve" in Cape Town, despite being placed in a tough group.

Scotland have finished sixth three times - but not since 1983 - and are looking to improve on their 11th place from four years ago in Liverpool.

Maxwell told BBC Scotland "we want to challenge between fifth and eighth position" this time round.

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It's already been an action-packed day out in Cape Town with reigning champions New Zealand getting their title defence underway with a very comfortable 76-27 win over Trinidad and Tobago in Pool C.

But it was anything you can do we can do better as world number one side Australia romped to a 86-30 win over Zimbabwe.

Later, Jamaica stormed to victory with a 105-25 thumping of Sri Lanka.

There was also victory for Tonga, who beat Fiji 56-51 and Uganda, who overcame Singapore 79-37.

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We've already had some home nation action as Wales got their campaign underway against hosts South Africa.

A tough opening quarter saw the Proteas take a dominant 10-goal lead which the Welsh Feathers couldn't recover from, despite winning the second quarter and keeping pace with the world number five team for much of the match.

Wales are in Pool C and face another tough task on Saturday in their next match when they take on Commonwealth Games silver medallists Jamaica.

England head coach Jess Thirlby is opening this World Cup with a strong starting seven as 2018 Commonwealth Games-winning shot sinker Helen Housby starts in the shooting circle with Eleanor Cardwell.

Veterans Geva Mentor and Jade Clarke get the nod in the opening match of their sixth World Cup while Layla Guscoth, who suffered an ACL injury at the last World Cup in 2019 and missed most of the tournament, partners Mentor in the defensive circle.

Captain Natalie Metcalf starts at wing attack while Imogen Allison is in at wing defence.

Starting seven: Mentor, Guscoth, Allison, Clarke, Metcalf, Housby, Cardwell

Substitutes: Fadoju, Williams, Malcolm, Pitman, Tchine

Earlier today, fans inside the Cape Town International Convention Centre were treated to a very vibrant and colourful opening ceremony.

African fans are well known for being loud and proud and they certainly showed that today with singing, dancing and a party atmosphere in Cape Town.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

So, how does it all work? The 16 teams are split into four pools of four - A-D - and will compete in the preliminary group stage from 28-30 July.

Then, bear with us, it's quite complicated...

The top three sides from Pools A and B will come together in Pool F and those from Pools C and D meet in Pool G, with teams carrying forward the results against the teams they faced in the first stage.

In this second pool stage, they will contest three further matches against teams they have yet to play.

The top two teams from each pool advance to the semi-finals, while there will be classification matches for other nations.

Then it's on to the final or the bronze medal match, which take place on Sunday 6 August.

Image source, BBC Sport

Welcome to day one of the Netball World Cup where matches have been taking place all day in Cape Town, South Africa.

Action got underway early this morning but England and Scotland have had to patiently wait all day for their turn to take to court.

The Thistles will take on Malawi at the same time as England play Barbados in Pool B.

The Roses failed to medal at the Commonwealth Games last year and will be hoping to put that right on the biggest stage of all over the next 10 days.

For Scotland, it's a chance for their young squad to test themselves against the world's best.

Who will be lifting the trophy on Sunday 6 August? England will hope they are in with a chance and we'll get a first glimpse of what kind of form they're in this evening.

Preparations are complete, game faces are on.

The wait is over for the England Roses as they get their 2023 Netball World Cup campaign underway this evening against Barbados.

Let's do this...

Image source, Brenton Geach