Reigning Hampshire Open champion Paul Hogan and teenage star James Wade have been called into action on the oche for England.

The call-ups came in the wake of their outstanding county performances and coincides with the launch of this year's Daily Echo Hampshire Open.

For Hogan, who beat Mike Cookman to win the popular contest last year, it is a recall from his country.

But it is a new honour for 19-year-old Wade, from Aldershot, who is one of the most promising youngsters in the sport and who made his bow in the Embassy World Championship at Frimley Green last month.

County organiser Frank Branscombe said: "Hampshire has a long and proud tradition of supplying top players to represent their countries and we are really pleased for Paul and James - they have worked hard to get there.

"Paul is an experienced player and will be a great asset to England while James is young and eager to make his mark on the game and the international scene."

The pair will receive three vital British Darts Organisation ranking points for the call-up to the 12-man squad which competes in the British Internationals in Wales next month.

"It's a great honour to play for England," said Wade, who recently made the quarter-finals of the highly-rated Dutch Open - finally losing out to Embassy champion Raymond van Barneveld.

"It was brilliant being part of the Embassy and my aim this year is to get back to Frimley Green and put the disappointment of losing behind me.

"Things have gone really well since the Lakeside and the year ahead looks exciting. The call-up from England couldn't have come at a better time."

Meanwhile, other players, from international to pub standard, are sharpening their tips for the Daily Echo Hampshire Open at Southampton's Novotel on April 26.

The winner will leave the top hotel with a cheque for £1,000 and the maximum number of entries is expected to be reached quickly once again.

"Word of this competition has spread quickly since it was won by Paul Carter three years ago and then England's Ronnie Baxter," added Branscombe.

It is a few months away but already people are talking about it and wanting to enter."

On this page we print the 2003 competition entry form, and it will be appearing every Saturday and occasionally in the Echo over the next few weeks.

England squad - men: Martin Adams (captain) (Cambridge), Ian Brand (Cambridgeshire), Steve Coote (Lancashire), Darryl Fitton (Cheshire), Andy Fordham (Essex), Paul Hogan (Hampshire), Mervyn King (Cambridgeshire), Phil Nixon (County Durham), Barry Noble (Humberside), Tony O'Shea (Cheshire), Davy Richardson (Northumberland), James Wade (Hampshire), John Walton (Yorkshire).

Women: Clare Bywaters (Warwickshire), Marie Geaney (Somerset), Trina Gulliver (captain) (Warwickshire), Crissy Howat (Cumbria), Apylee Jones (Surrey), Debra Royal (Lincolnshire), Karen Smith (Yorkshire).