Hockey: Heberle puts faith in youth for World Cup

Tricia Heberle has settled on her England selection for next month's World Cup in Perth following a run in of 47 internationals in which the coach used 33 players.

The Australian has included five of the 15 players she introduced to the international arena, including the 17-year-old Alex Danson of Trojans. Eight of the World Cup squad are aged 23 or younger.

However, Jo Ellis, the 21-year-old from the Commonwealth Games squad which took the silver medal in Manchester, loses out. Also excluded are Purdy Miller, after aggravating a recurring knee injury, and the Olympic and the Utrecht World Cup player Fiona Greenham.

The 18-year-old Anne Panter and the experienced Denise Marston-Smith are added to the squad.

Heberle said yesterday: "Our focus at the moment is to do everything possible to ready ourselves for Perth.

"There are no easy games or weak opponents in our pool [which consists of Australia, the US, Republic of Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, South Africa and Spain] so every match will be critical, as will our ability to handle the expected hot conditions."

Having worked in Perth with the Australians she will know what to expect.

ENGLAND SQUAD (World Cup, Perth, 24 Nov-9 Dec): J Smith, M Nicholson, K Walsh (all Slough), A Bennett, M Clewlow, F Houslop (all Canterbury), H Richardson, J Bimson, S Blanks, A Panter (all Fyffes Leicester), A Danson (Trojans), H Grant, D Marston-Smith (both Clifton), L King (Ipswich), C Reid (Hightown), H Rose (Bury St Edmunds), L Wright, R Walker (both Olton & WW).