Oldham quartet aim to shine for England

POWER OF THREE . . . Oldham Netball Club players selected for England under-21s tours, Gabby Marshall (left), Amy Clinton and Iona Darroch.

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FOUR Oldham Netball Club starlets are counting down to exciting international trips abroad.

Gabby Marshall, Amy Clinton, Iona Darroch and Lucy Stevenson have been selected for England under-21s for separate two-week tours of Australia and Jamaica next month.

The quartet impressed during rigorous trials in Loughborough, after which two squads were announced.

The tours are being used as preparation for next year's World Youth Cup in Botswana.

Heading Down Under is Marshall (20), who has skippered young England on four occasions.

A member of the Oldham club since the age of five years, she is gearing up to face the might of Australia and New Zealand in match-filled tour.

Simultaneously representing England in Kingston, Jamaica, is Clinton (18), who has starred in Oldham colours for seven years, helping the club to win three national titles at junior level.

The teenager made her Manchester Thunder debut last Superleague season.

Darroch (18), who joined Oldham at 16, will be making her debut for England in the West Indies, while Stevenson (17) will also be looking to impress.

Oldham head coach Pam Hazelton said: "The club very proud of these girls.

"They have worked very hard to get to this stage."

The Jamaican tour will be under the guidance of National Academy coach Jan Crabtree and retired Oldham netball player Karen Greig, who is England Netball's North-West regional coach.