DAVID GARDNER ONLY 2010 SURVIVOR IN SENIOR SCOTS' LINE-UP

The Scotland team for the senior men's home internationals at Woodhall Spa Golf Club, Lincolnshire from September 13-15 bears little or no resemblance to the squad which finished last of four after being thrashed 7 1/2-1 1/2 by champions Ireland on the last day at Crail last year. Broomieknowe's David Gardner is the only survivor in this year's line-up which will be captained by Gordon MacDonald (Callander). Team is: Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) John Fraser (Royal Burgess) David Gardner (Broomieknowe) Gordon MacDonald (Callander), capt. Fraser McCluskey (Royal Burgess) David Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie) Bob Stewart (Tulliallan). Reserve Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess).   TWO NEW CAPS IN ENGLAND SENIOR TEAM FOR WOODHALL SPA   NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION

England will field two new caps, Charles Banks (Stanton-on-the-Wolds) and Adrian Donkersley (Gerrards Cross) in its seven-strong squad for the Seniors Home Internationals being played at Woodhall Spa on 13th – 15th September.
The rest of the line-up:
Chris Reynolds (Littlestone, Kent), Philip Slater (Sandiway, Cheshire), Roy Smethurst (Crewe, Cheshire), Alan Squires (Oldham, Lancashire) and Andrew Stracey (Littlestone, Kent).
The team shows three changes from that which finished runner-up last year in Scotland, the two news caps plus Stracey, who played in 2009 but missed last year’s matches.
Banks was an England men’s international in 1983 and was England Mid Amateur Champion three years in succession, 1995–97. He is now proving a force in the senior ranks, confirmed by his victory in the Scottish Seniors at Irvine at the start of July.
Like Banks, Donkersley is a keen competitor who has played in most of the leading senior events this summer. He finished third in the Welsh Open Seniors, ninth in the Portuguese, joint tenth in the Scottish and joint 12th in the English Seniors. Currently he lies third on the EGU Seniors Order of Merit.
Reynolds, the English Seniors Champion in 2009, has played in every Seniors Home Internationals since 2006 and has a fine record in the series. He was also a member of England’s winning team in last year’s European Seniors Team Championships and recently finished fifth in the British Seniors. He currently leads the Seniors Order of Merit.
Slater was also a member of the victorious European Seniors team having made his debut in the 2008 Europeans. A former Cheshire Seniors Champion, he has played in the last three Seniors Home Internationals but has missed several events this year for family reasons while also suffering a back injury. He has recovered and is a strong match player.
Smethurst has been a power in seniors golf for over a decade. He has been English Seniors Champion four times, was British Champion in 2003 and has missed only one Seniors Home Internationals since the start in 2002. He is currently fourth on the Seniors Order of Merit and still displays a tenacity and enduring skills particularly in match play.
Squires has been English Seniors Champion for the past two years but because he is a working man he is unable to play in other national competitions.
However, he was also a member of last year’s victorious team in the Europeans and has missed only one Senior Home Internationals since 2004.
Stracey is a powerful player who has been prominent in international competitions over the last couple of years. He won the Irish Seniors in 2009, finished runner-up to Reynolds in the English Seniors that year and also made his international debut in the winning European Team. Also finished runner-up in the Welsh Seniors this year.
Richard Palmer, the England seniors captain, says: “The selectors have had a difficult job this year as a few of the top match players haven’t shown their usual form in order of merit events.
“We look for proven winners to balance the team with those at the top of the order of merit. Consequently, someone like Doug Arnold, the only man to play in every Senior Home Internationals, has not been able to make the side this time. He has an exceptional record, has been an excellent team member but has battled with a hand injury this year which has hampered his performances.”
England will be hoping that home advantage will enable them to regain the title, won by Ireland for the past three years. England’s last success was at Caldy in 2007, the last time it played host.