England have announced their 20-strong squad for the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India with three players from Holcombe named in the squad.
Barry Middleton will be playing in his fourth World Cup and he will be joined in the squad by fellow Holcs George Pinner and David Ames.
Head coach Danny Kerry has selected a squad of eighteen with two travelling reserves in a team which boasts both youth and experience, with players who have competed in multiple World Cups lining up alongside 13 athletes for whom this will be their first.
Zach Wallace (18), Jack Waller (21) and Rhys Smith (21) are the youngest players to be selected having impressed in recent months, while Barry Middleton will compete at his fourth World Cup and Adam Dixon his third.
“The athletes have been working hard and embracing new ideas over the last eight weeks in the build up to World Cup selection and we could not have asked more from the team in terms of attitude and application,” Kerry said.
“We understand the challenge our pool represents and will have to be at our very best to progress to the latter rounds of the tournament.
“We realise that many teams will start favourites ahead of us, we also know we are capable of threatening all teams.
“The management team have been brilliant in preparing and supporting the team. We all look forward to the many challenges of a World Cup.”
The tournament runs from 28 November to 16 December as the world’s best sides compete for one of hockey’s greatest prizes, with all games live on BT Sport.
In Pool B alongside England are reigning champions, three-time winners and current world number one Australia. Ireland will also provide very stiff competition alongside China.
England have finished fourth in the last two editions of the tournament – at The Hague in 2014 and at Delhi in 2010 – and will be aiming to go one further this time round and claim their first medal since 1986.
England squad:
George Pinner (Holcombe)
Harry Gibson (Surbiton)
Adam Dixon (Beeston)
Liam Sanford (Reading)
Mark Gleghorne (Beeston)
Jack Waller (Wimbledon)
Michael Hoare (Wimbledon)
Luke Taylor (Surbiton)
Harry Martin (Hampstead & Westminster)
David Ames (Holcombe)
Ian Sloan (Wimbledon)
Barry Middleton (Holcombe)
Zach Wallace (Surbiton)
James Gall (Surbiton)
Phil Roper (Wimbledon)
David Condon (East Grinstead)
Will Calnan (Hampstead & Westminster)
Sam Ward (Old Georgians)
Travelling reserves:
Brendan Creed (Surbiton)
Rhys Smith (East Grinstead)
Fixtures:
Fri 30 Nov – England v China – 1.30pm GMT
Tue 4 Dec – England v Australia – 11.30am GMT
Fri 7 Dec – England v Ireland – 1.30pm GMT
Mon 10 Dec – Possible Crossover – 11.15am or 1.30pm GMT
Wed 12 Dec – Possible Quarter-Final – 11.15am or 1.30pm GMT
Sat 15 Dec – Possible Semi-Final – 10.30am or 1pm GMT
Sun 16 Dec – Possible 3rd-4th Play-Off – Final – 11am or 1.30pm GMT