Welsh Feathers v Zimbabwe: Middleton relishing Wales return after horror injury

Welsh Feathers goalkeeper Leah Middleton hopes to make her long-awaited return this weekend, nearly eight months after suffering a traumatic injury.

The 25-year-old is expected to feature when Wales host Zimbabwe Gems in a double-header at Cardiff’s House of Sport on Saturday and Sunday.

It was a moment Middleton feared might take far longer to arrive.

She sustained a compound ankle dislocation during a Netball Super League match in March while representing Cardiff Dragons.

The injury ended Middleton’s season. Compound dislocations are extremely rare in netball, and the match against Birmingham Panthers was halted as medical staff rushed to her aid, with screens brought on to protect her privacy.

The injury was severe – damaged nerves, a damaged artery, and extensive soft-tissue trauma, but Middleton avoided any broken bones.

Speaking on The Netball Show Podcast shortly after her surgery, she admitted she did not initially realise the match had not continued.

“The medical staff did a spectacular job… when I did come around, both Jackie (Newton) and my partner Eric were there,” she said.

“I remember the first thing I said to Jackie was, ‘Oh, did we win?’ She said ‘Leah, the game didn’t go on’.

“I was probably still in such a state of disbelief about what had happened and how bad it actually was.”

Eight months on, the Australian-born defender, who qualifies for Wales through her grandfather from Gilfach Goch in Rhondda Cynon Taf, is finally ready to step back on court.

“Honestly it’s been such a whirlwind, and I absolutely did not think I was going to be fit for this Test series. So it’s something super exciting, and I just feel really grateful,” said Wilkinson.