Recall for veteran Brown

Karen Brown, the 32-year-old Slough midfielder who last played for Great Britain in the bronze medal game in the Barcelona Olympics, has been recalled for the nine-match tour to Australia next month, including three Tests, in a 19-player squad named yesterday, writes Bill Colwill.

Brown, who made her 250th international appearance for England in last month's European Cup and has been instrumental in Slough's continuing success, with her vision, skill and commitment, will be a tremendous boost to the British squad who are preparing for November's Olympic qualifier in Cape Town.

Although there are no new caps in the squad it is a well balanced selection, including seven Barcelona bronze medallists and a number of young players with just a few British appearances, including Slough's Anna Bennett and Leicester's Lucy Cope who made significant contributions to England's recent fourth place in the European Cup. Wales' only representative is another promising 20-year- old, Charlotte Merrett.

Britain have yet to win or draw down under, but with the difficulty of persuading opponents to come to Britain, the long journey has to be undertaken.

GREAT BRITAIN SQUAD (to tour Australia): J Atkins (Bradford), J Thompson, H Rose, L Youngs (Ipswich), M Nicholls, K Brown, A Bennett (Slough), M Davies, J Sixsmith (Sutton Coldfield), T Miller (Clifton), C Cook, T Cullen (Hightown), L Cope (Leicester), C Merrett (Clifton), S MacDonald (Glasgow Western), D Renilson, R Simpson (Edinburgh), P Robertson, S Fraser (Grove).