Hockey: Miller and Voss bolster Slough's title defence

Slough start the defence of their Premier League title this afternoon on the new water-based facility at Bisham Abbey's National Sports Centre against Fyffes Leicester, in a season which sees eight games concentrated into the opening six weeks and a three-month gap for the World Cup and indoor season before the final ten fixtures.

The Slough side will include two former Leicester players. Current England striker Purdy Miller, and late 1990s England international Carol Voss, who didn't play last season, will be useful acquisitions to a squad that has lost former England international Julia Robertson through retirement, and will suffer from Irish international Sara Kelleher not being regularly available.

Leicester will be reinforced by the arrival of England's latest international Cathy Gilliat-Smith from the relegated Loughborough Students.

Another England international on the move was Helen Grant, formerly of the Premiership play-off winners Olton and West Warwick, but who turns out for Clifton against Chelmsford tomorrow at Cressex, High Wycombe.

The West Country club have also signed Welsh international Sarah Thomas from Exmouth, but have lost last season's leading scorer Imogen Robertson to Amsterdam.

Promoted Trojans travel to Ipswich, with arrivals Lucy Unwin from Harleston Magpies, Zoe Wimhurst and Kate Hutchings from Woking and the re-signed Kath James.

South African Sue Webber has joined Canterbury, compatriot Nicolene Penderis is at Sutton Coldfield, and New Zealander Harriet Miller starts at Chelmsford.