Badminton: Clark set for mix and match

GILL CLARK, who gained second and fourth places in two events in the World Grand Prix finals at the weekend, forms two new pairs in a series of surprising partnership changes in England's squad for the Taipei Masters, Japan Open and Korean Open next month.

Clark, who won a world bronze medal with Nick Ponting, is teaming up with Chris Hunt in 1994, while Ponting plays with Joanne Wright.

In the women's doubles Clark and Julie Bradbury, who reached the Olympic quarter-finals, are reunited while Clark's previous partner, Wright, now plays with another former European doubles champion, Gillian Gowers.

Ponting and Hunt, whose win clinched victory over Sweden in the world team championships, have also separated. Ponting plays with Julian Robertson and Hunt with Simon Archer.

The most popular inclusion will be the England No 4 Steve Butler, who at 30 scored one of the best wins of his career last month, beating the world bronze medallist Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen to win the Scottish Open in Glasgow.