Bowls England is delighted to announce its team for the combined Junior Home Nations event to take place at Belmont BC in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September.
This year England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will each field a team consisting of 12 men and 12 women to participate in a six-rink international series. Following the loss of two seasons of international play due to Covid, the age limit for both genders to be eligible for selection was set at 27 and under on 1st April 2022.
England’s selectors have decided to go for a mixture of youth and experience as part of our wider commitment to the development of a Performance Pathway for our younger players.
Nicola Bowe, Women’s Junior Team Manager, said: “We have a tremendous record in the women’s junior series and our selected team rewards those who have served us so well in the past, together with providing opportunities for some of our younger players to continue to benefit from their experience.”
Stuart Thomas, Men’s Junior Team Manager, added: “We opted with the men’s side to select a team of players that were all under 25 at 1st April 2022, so not utilising the extended age limit. There are 15 counties represented within the men’s squad and this team gives us a fantastic blend of existing junior internationals and new caps that will benefit from a first taste of international experience. I’m confident this group of players will perform well in Belfast.”
With the future in mind, both Nicola and Stuart, together with board members Adam Tanner and Mal Evans and several of their respective selectors, will be casting a watchful eye over proceedings when our first-ever Junior Talent Identification Day is held at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa, this Sunday (19th June) from 10.30am.
A total of 68 young players aged under 18 from across England will take to the famous greens to participate in a number of activities to develop their skills, with several sure to feature in our junior international ranks in the coming years.
Selected Team – Women
Emma Cooper (Kings BC, Devon)
Jasmine Wilson (Radwinter BC, Essex)
Morgan Merryweather (Island Bohemian BC, Berkshire)
Harriet Stevens (Kings BC, Devon) – Captain
Ruby Hill (Royal Mail Cart BC, Lincolnshire)
Chloe Brett (Parkway BC, Huntingdonshire)
Nicole Rogers (Kings BC, Devon)
Katherine Rednall (Norfolk BC, Norfolk)
Devon Cooper (Royston BC, Hertfordshire)
Imogen Jenner (Appleyard BC, Kent)
Emily Ferguson (Appleyard BC, Kent)
Rachel Tremlett (Royston BC, Hertfordshire)
Travelling squad member
Izzie White (Chester Road BC, Worcestershire)
Non-Travelling squad members
Kat Bowman (Birstall BC, Leicestershire)
Paige Dennis (Appleyard BC, Kent)
Manager: Nicola Bowe (Cumbria)
Travelling Selector: Sandy Hazell (Kent)
Selected Team – Men
Kieran Kniveton (Topsham BC, Devon)
Tom Holmes (Ross-on-Wye BC, Herefordshire)
Alasdair Williams (Porthleven BC, Cornwall)
Harry Goodwin (Appleyard BC, Kent)
Dan Mills (County Arts BC, Norfolk)
Anthony Booth-Young (Heaton Hall BC, Lancashire)
Adam Pitfield (Thrapston BC, Northamptonshire)
Jordan Philpott (Royal Mail Cart BC, Lincolnshire)
Mark Smith (Avenue BC, Warwickshire)
Adam Barker (St Neots BC, Cambridgeshire)
Ben Coldrick (Cheltenham BC, Gloucestershire)
Tom McGuinness (Gerrards Cross BC, Buckinghamshire) – Captain
Travelling Squad Member
Harvey Griffiths (St Dunstans BC, Worcestershire)
Non-Travelling Squad Members
Ryan Lowe (Kingscroft BC, Leicestershire)
Ben Bywater (Long Eaton Town BC, Derbyshire)
Manager: Stuart Thomas (Buckinghamshire)
Travelling Selector: TBC