da betano casino： The England under-19 women’s team will start as hot favourites to retain the European Cup for their country when play begins in the four-nation tournament today
Rick Eyre10-Aug-2001The England under-19 women’s team will start as hot favourites to retain theEuropean Cup for their country when play begins in the four-nation tournamenttoday. The round-robin competition is being held at Bradfield College, Reading,in the English county of Berkshire, and concludes on Sunday.England have generally sent their ‘A’ team to this championship, which isconducted every two years against the full senior national teams of otherEuropean countries. This year, with rebuilding of the senior squad for the 2005World Cup in their sights, all fourteen England representatives are under theage of twenty.Lancashire all-rounder Arran Thompson leads a side which includes three otherplayers who have appeared at full international level for England – LauraHarper, Nicki Shaw and sixteen year-old Leanne Davis.Three players have been chosen from the Yorkshire team that last week won theWomen’s County Championship – Laura Spragg, Claire Atkinson and Clare Gough (norelation apparently to Darren).Making their first appearance at international level in this tournament is ateam from Scotland. Women’s cricket was virtually unheard of at competitivelevel in Scotland as little as two years ago, however the hard work of adedicated group of people has seen the formation of a national side under theleadership of Linda Spence which has enjoyed success against county sides fromthe north of England.Ireland and Holland return for this year’s European Cup, but one team who willnot be present is Denmark. Women’s cricket has undergone a dramatic decline inDenmark since they hosted the 1999 European Championships, with the local clubcompetition being disbanded in 2000 when teams were unable to field sufficientplayers.England Under-19 play Scotland in the opening round today, while Ireland facethe Netherlands. England, represented in the past by their ‘A’ team, have beenunbeaten in European Cup play since the tournament’s inception in 1989.Squads:England: Arran Thompson (capt), Alexia Walker (vc), Laura Joyce, Laura Harper,Laura Spragg, Clare Gough, Kate Oakenfold, Claire Atkinson, Nicola Shaw, LeanneDavis, Sarah Clarke, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Isa Guha.Ireland: Nikki Squire (capt), Anne Linehan (vc), Caitriona Beggs, Aoife Budd,Miriam Grealey, Cecilia Joyce, Isobel Joyce, Grainne Leahy, Barbara McDonald,Ciara Metcalfe, Lara Molins, Clare O’Leary, Saibh Young.Netherlands: Carolien Salomons (capt), Teuntje de Boer, Maartje Köster, BirgitViguurs, Pauline te Beest, Cheraldine Oudolf, Annemarie Tanke, Carly Verheul,Caroline Hes, Marjolijn Molenaar, Eugenie van Leeuwen, Mandy Kornet, MinouToussaint (wk).Scotland: Linda Spence (capt), Kari Anderson (vc), Sara MacLean, ElizabethSmith, Alison Ramsay, Vari Maxwell, Kathryn White, Fiona Urquhart, AileenGalvin, Denise Newlove, Pam Quin, Caroline Sweetman, Shona McIntyre.