Hockey: Dancer tries new combination against Dutch

THE ENGLAND coach, Barry Dancer will use this evening's testimonial against the Netherlands - for Jacques Brinkman, the Amsterdam midfielder who has set a Dutch record of 287 international appearances - to run the rule over most of the players selected for last month's Champions Trophy.

England were disappointed when, on Foreign Office advice, they had to pullout of the elite event in Lahore. Now Dancer has made a couple of changes to the squad: Cannock's Kalbir Takher comes in for his injured club-mate Michael Johnson and another Cannock defender, Andy Humphrey, will replace Jon Wyatt, who is being rested.

Dancer will be looking to consolidate on the performance in Malaysia in the Commonwealth Games, but will be well aware of the task before his team. England have not beaten the Dutch since their 2-1 win at Preston in 1990.

Brinkman, who betters the record of another former Dutch captain, Cees- Jan Diepeveen from Bloemendaal, has led the Netherlands to Olympic and world gold and victory in the Champions Trophy. The Dutch are expected to draw from that squad for tonight's game.

ENGLAND SQUAD: B Waugh (capt), D Woods (both Southgate), S Mason, H Hoskin, M Pearn, B Barnes (all Reading), J Halls, A Humphrey, B Sharpe, J Lewis, Kalbir Takher (all Cannock), S Head (East Grinstead), J Wallis, B Garrard (Teddington), R Garcia (Harvestehuder, Hamburg), D Hall (Guildford).