Alice set for battle as Spain jet in for biennial showdown

Spectators at past matches have watched Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia – who played in the 1997 teams – as well as stars such as David Howell, Jose Maria Olazabal, Alvaro Quiros, Pablo Larrazabal and Ignacio Garrido.

This year’s match takes place on May 9 and 10, and, for the first time, it will include women. Each team is made up of six men and four women, playing five foursomes and 10 singles on both days.

Joining Hewson on the England team are Ashley Chesters of Shropshire; Nick Marsh of Yorkshire; Jimmy Mullen of Devon; Michael Saunders of Kent; Sean Towndrow of Lancashire; Ashton Turner of Lincolnshire; Gemma Clews of Cheshire; and Sophie Lamb and Hollie Muse, both of Lancashire.

Hewson, Chesters and Marsh are all ranked in either the men’s or women’s top 50 in the world. Spain’s team includes Mario Galiano, who is currently ranked third in Europe and seventh in the world, and Nuria Iturrios, the world’s ninth best woman amateur.

England have held the upper hand throughout the history of the biennial match, which started in 1985. They have won 13 matches to Spain’s two – and never lost at home.

However the most recent match, at El Prat in 2013, was won by Spain by one point.