THREE Gloucestershire players have been called into England squads for the inaugural Women’s Masters World Cup which will be staged in and around Colwall and Cardiff in August.
Kelly Armfield (Twyford House) and Maria Fowler (OB Westbury) have earned selection to the Over 40 squad while Lucy Wilkes (Cheltenham) has been named in the Over 50 squad.
There are also Over 60 and Over 70 competitions with Wales, Australia, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the United States entering along with a Nordic XI and Rest of the World squad.
The huge event gets underway in Colwall on August 8 and concludes with the Over 40 final at Malpas on August 22.
Maria said: “It’s great news and we’re all really looking forward to it.
“I think one of the biggest challenges will be to stay fit and in form as the World Cup feels so far away at the moment.”
All three players were nominated by Gloucestershire, with Kelly and Lucy also taking part in an Easter training camp in Corfu. The trio are also preparing to take part in a training game on May 25.
A total of 18 venues are being utilised for the World Cup, including Malvern College, Ledbury, Usk, Monmouth and Sudbrook.
Avebury, in Wiltshire, is to host an international lead-up event from July 26-31.
CONGRATULATIONS to Ed Gordon Lennox who will captain England in the Over 60s World Cup which is due to be held in Toronto in August.
England, beaten finalists in 2024, have announced a 16-man squad for the event.
Gloucestershire team mate Razi Ahmed, meanwhile, has been named in a 26-player England Lions squad whose first outing of the summer is against Scotland at Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, on May 15.
