Sussex hockey duo called into England squad for junior world cup

England’s squad for the Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup includes two players from East Grinstead HC.

The tournament is taking place in South Africa between December 5 and 16.

East Grinstead have two representatives in the squad – goalkeeper Mila Welch and Alex Malzer.

Four players capped at senior international level have been included, with Olympic bronze medallists Fiona Crackles and Izzy Petter in the squad alongside Malzer, who played twice for Great Britain in 2019, and Sophie Hamilton, who featured in four matches for GB in late 2020.

Sophie’s twin sister Olivia will captain England at the tournament, where she will be joined by fellow Loughborough Students defender Lorna Mackenzie.

Mackenzie is one of five players who helped the country qualify for this event back at the 2019 Junior EuroHockey Championships, with Team Bath Buccs forward Vicki McCabe another.

Alongside Sophie Hamilton, Darcy Bourne is one of two Surbiton players selected.

Both the University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham have three athletes in the squad, with those from the former being Millie Giglio, Evie Wood and Lily Walker. Maddie Axford – currently the top goalscorer across the Vitality Women’s Hockey Leagues with 11 goals – has been pivotal to Nottingham’s fine start to the season in the Vitality Women’s Division One North and is joined by Sally Sime and Katie Curtis.

England have been drawn in Group B of the tournament in Potchefstroom alongside Belgium, Canada and Uruguay.