England have named an 18-man squad for next year's Over-60 World Cup in Chennai, India.
"With the squad announced, we will soon be making our preparations. Perfect preparations lead to perfect performances. It is our objective to be perfectly prepared with clear objectives, with fitness plans for all and an understanding of the demands of playing in India," said England Over-60 captain Richard Merriman.
"We will be inviting top cricket professionals to help prepare us for India. This is a hugely exciting time."
England Over-60 squad
Richard Merriman
Edward Lennox
Steve Aston
Tony Birbeck
John Butterworth
Jason Caunt
Phil Deakin
Chris Dearden
Montie Douglas
Nick Gaywood
Mel Hussain
Nick Newman
Michael Palmer
Jim Phillips
Simon Routh
Graham Shaw
Kevin Watson
Marcus Young
New Zealand, meanwhile have named an 18-man squad for the same tournament.
"New Zealand reached the final of the Over-60 World Cup in 2022 and several members of that squad have returned, including frontline spinners Roger Stachurski - the leading wicket-taker at the 2022 World Cup; Andrew Nuttall - one of the top bowlers in the world at over-50 level; and Tony Gray," read a statement from International Masters Cricket.
"A new member of the spin-bowling group is Martin Pennefather, who represented New Zealand at the 2018 Over-50 World Cup. Another newcomer, in the batting department, is Craig Gibb. He'll join the likes of captain Graeme Inglis and Russell Drake in a strong batting line-up."
New Zealand Over-60 squad
Greg Alexander
Russell Drake
Craig Gibb
Tony Gray
Duncan Hutchinson
Graeme Inglis
Mike Johnston
Chris Kennedy
Mark McMillan
Craig Morris
Andrew Nuttall
Mark Paton
Martin Pennefather
Neil Rodgers
Roger Stachurski
Pakistan won the inaugural Over-60 World Cup in Australia in 2022. They beat New Zealand in the final.