Surbiton’s Laura Unsworth and Georgie Twigg have been cut from the 12-man England squad travelling to Prague for the EuroHockey Indoor Championships, which start today.

Surbiton captain Sarah Haycroft and Giselle Ansley make the trip after all four players featured in a 2-1 series win over Scotland in Perth last weekend.

With a squad of 14 players, but only 12 players selected for each match, two players were rested for each game, Ansley missing the first game on Friday evening, which the hosts won 4-2.

Ansley made her international indoor debut – converting a penalty corner – as England levelled the series with a 6-4 win on Saturday, before they took a series lead later the same day with a 4-3 win.

Ansley once more scored from a penalty corner, while Twigg also netted.

It was Haycroft’s turn to rest during the final game on Sunday, which ended in a 5-5 draw.

England face the Czech Republic, Holland and Germany this weekend hoping to avoid relegation to Division Two, from which they were promoted in 2012.

Surbiton’s preparations for the second half of the outdoor season get under way with a friendly against Slough at Sugden Road on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Surbiton’s men will leave nothing to chance ahead of the resumption of their Men’s Hockey League Premier Division campaign next month, writes Sean Cotter.

Fourth-placed Surbiton visit Wimbledon on February 9 and host Holcombe in a friendly on their sand-based pitch this Sunday as opposed to playing the game on their usual water-based facility.

Manager James Lloyd said: “Wimbledon have a sand-based pitch, so it is important we get in some experience on an unfamiliar surface.

“We play at Teddington the following week on a similar pitch, for the same reason.”