[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='position:absolute; margin-left:260pt;margin-top:0;width:300pt;height:300pt;z-index:251658240; mso-wrap-distance-left:7.5pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:7.5pt; mso-wrap-distance-right:7.5pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:7.5pt; mso-position-horizontal:right;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text; mso-position-vertical-relative:line' o:allowoverlap="f"> <v:imagedata src="http://eu.vocuspr.com/Publish/2999329/vcsPRAsset_2999329_61087_6a742074-df95-4076-944b-7be788248e13_0.jpg"/> <w:wrap type="square"/> </v:shape><![endif][if !vml][endif]A mixed U16 team will take on their Spanish counterparts in a two-day match at Seacroft in Lincolnshire from 23-24 May.
The players are: Toby Briggs of Norfolk, Jessica Bailey of Leicestershire, Martha Lewis of Surrey, Thomas Plumb of Dorset, Emily Price of Worcestershire, Taylor Stote of Somerset, Charlie Strickland of Sussex and Bel Wardle of Cheshire.
The youngsters will be seeking to follow in the footsteps of the full England team which defeated Spain 19-11 in last weekend’s international at Burnham and Berrow in Somerset. The U16 match follows the same format with foursomes in the morning, followed by afternoon singles.
The players
Jessica Bailey (Kirby Muxloe) tied seventh in the recent Scottish U16 championship and had a top 30 finish in the Welsh ladies’ strokeplay.
Toby Briggs (Dunston Hall, Image © Leaderboard Photography) first represented England U16s in 2014. He helped England win the Nations Cup at the Fairhaven Trophies and was runner-up in the boys’ individual event.
Martha Lewis (St George’s Hill) has previously represented England U16s against Spain and Switzerland and won the U14 title at last year’s North of England U16 championship.
Thomas Plumb (Sherborne) tied 10th in last year’s South of England boys’ open and had a top 20 finish in the 2015 Fairhaven Trophies. Emily Price (Cleobury Mortimer) is the English U15 girls’ champion and was third in this year’s Scottish U16 championship. She has represented England U16s against Switzerland.
Taylor Stote (Burnham & Berrow) had top 25 finishes in last year’s MacGregor Trophy and the South of England boys’ open.
Charlie Strickland (Ham Manor) was fifth in this season’s Peter McEvoy Trophy and sixth in the 2014 Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters.
Bel Wardle (Prestbury) set an amateur course record and claimed a runners-up place in last year’s WPGA One Day Series. She tied fifth in the 2015 Scottish U16 girls’ championship.