Merryl makes history with England selection

EXETER Eagles player Merryl Dennis has been named in the England squad for the home international competition.

The Devon ladies captain is the first player in over 30 years to be selected for England whilst playing for the county.

She joins seasoned campaigners and former world champions Trina Gulliver and Deta Hedman in the six-lady squad for the event in Wales in April.

Tiverton-based Dennis' record on the county stage makes her better than any other player, man or woman, in terms of games won and lost.

In her 10th season of representing the county, she has a playing average for Devon of 20.43 per dart, and has surpassed the best unbeaten run by a Devon player of 17 – set in 1983 by Gerald Verrier – with a 24-game winning streak.

When she took her 65th game to have won more A team games than any other Devon lady in history, Dennis had played only 72 games – the previous record-holder had played 116.

In her first season with Devon, they were were relegated from Division Two but since she took over the captaincy the ladies' squad have become one of the best in the country.

Devon currently sit third in Division One, the first season in the section in their history, and the ladies are currently top of the A league.

Dennis is likely to have a lot of support from Devon when she lines up for England on the weekend of April 14 and 15.