World Cup's coming home for two standout stars of Atherstone Adders Hockey Club

Two teammates of Atherstone Adders' championship-chasing Men's Firsts are hoping to help England hockey bring home the World Cup – at the double.

Skipper Martin Webb and playing pal Simon Thompson have been called up for the national side in the World Masters Hockey events for over 35s and over 40s in Nottingham later in the summer.

Buenos Aires and Bulawayo it isn't, but Beeston will do fine for the pair – with super-striker Webb returning in the younger age group and Thompson again being chosen for the older category.

More than 60 national teams from across the globe have entered the competitions and it is expected 1,200 men and women will take part at the England hockey centre from August 8-17.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to play against the world's best and what a fillip for us as a club," said Firsts manager Mick Thomas.

Both men celebrated their names being added to WHM World Cup squads with goals on Saturday as Adders demolished Leicester Firsts 8-0.

Webb's three strikes turned out to be his 13th hat-trick of a season that has already seen him amass 59 goals – including twice hitting five and on five occasions finding the net four times in a game.

Along with forward partner Josh Wagg, the pair are number one and two in the Tier 2 East Midlands Division One goal-scoring charts this season – with 48 and 24 strikes respectively.

And three more Atherstone players are in the hot-shots' table – Sean Hirons in eighth place with 13 goals, and Cameron Hobbs and Daman Johal in joint 11th with nine strikes. In total the team has found the net on 125 occasions so far this season.

The Men's Firsts, who play on the astroturf at the town's Queen Elizabeth Academy, are enjoying an incredibly successful season.

Only two league defeats, they are on course to take the Tier 2 East Midlands Division One title – currently with a four-point cushion at the top of the table.

If they win their next three games against third-from-bottom Loughborough Town, mid-table Derby and second-from-bottom Ramgarhia – they will by champions by the time they face second-placed Derwent in their last league encounter of the season on March 28 and automatic promotion to the second-tier Premier.

Adders Seconds suffered a 2-0 reversal at Loughborough Town on Saturday while the Fourths managed a 2-1 win against Northampton Saints Sevenths.