Eight players who featured in the England women's silver medal winning team at the last Commonwealth Games are in contention for places in the squad for Melbourne 2006.
The Commonwealth Games Council for England has announced an 18-strong long list for the Melbourne 2006 Games, which take place next month. This list will be further reduced to a 16-strong squad before the Games.
The long list features four players who won silvers both at Manchester and at the previous Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 ÔÇô Jennie Bimson, Mel Clewlow, Carolyn Reid and Lucilla Wright.
They are joined by Manchester 2002 silver medallists Jo Ellis, Helen Grant, Helen Richardson and Kate Walsh.
England, playing with home advantage last time around, lost out to India through an extra-time golden goal in the final four years ago, after the two teams had tied 2-2 in normal time.
Head coach Danny Kerry's 18-strong long list for Melbourne also includes Chloe Rogers and Lisa Wooding, who both scored for Chelmsford in the final of the National Indoor Hockey Championships to complete a league and cup double for the club.
Beckie Herbert, Alex Danson, Charlotte Hartley, Chloe Rogers and Crista Cullen have all recently made the step-up from playing at under 21 level to the senior set-up.
ÔÇØI'd like to wish the women's hockey squad the very best of luck for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games,ÔÇØ Team England's Chef de Mission for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, Ann Hogbin, said.
ÔÇØWe are very much looking forward to participating in the Commonwealth Games; a tournament which will not only be competitive, but a great experience for all those athletes who have not competed before in a multi-sport event,ÔÇØ Kerry said.
ÔÇØWe had hoped to announce the Commonwealth Games Team on our return from our recent 4 nations tournament in Argentina, but, we will now confirm final selection after our weekend in Amsterdam (17-19 February),ÔÇØ he added.
ÔÇØFollowing excellent performances in Cordoba, I'm delighted to be able to announce an initial squad of 18 which includes five of the under 21 squad who recently performed so well on the world stage.ÔÇØ
England Women
Jennie Bimson, Mel Clewlow, Crista Cullen, Alex Danson, Becky Duggan, Jo Ellis, Cathy Gilliat-Smith, Helen Grant, Charlotte Hartley, Beckie Herbert, Carolyn Reid, Helen Richardson, Chloe Rogers, Beth Storry, Kate Walsh, Rachel Walsh, Lisa Wooding, Lucilla Wright
