By Andrew Gidley

EuroCanterbury Ladies and their male hockey counterparts will put contrasting outdoor seasons on hold when they begin their respective super sixes National Indoor Championships on Saturday.

The ladies, a point clear at the top of the Women’s Premier Division, head to Worcester to take on Chelmsford, Trojans, Sutton Coldfield and Ipswich.

The men, who are bottom of the Premier Division with only one win so far, travel to Frenchay near Bristol, to face Old Loughtonians, Beeston, Surbiton and Bowdon, in the first of a couple of two-day weekends. The finals are at Wembley next month.

Ladies’ player-coach Mel Clewlow (pictured) has been troubled by a back problem for several weeks but will play this weekend.

Jen Wilson will miss Saturday’s action as she coaches Ashford’s men’s first team - unless their game is called off - while Susie Rowe, included in the women’s squad for the forthcoming Ashes cricket series, is unavailable on Sunday.

Men’s skipper Matt Harper is ruled out by a rib injury, with Michael Farrer set to lead the side.

Ashford’s Trinidad & Tobago international Akim Toussaint joins the squad as a guest player, along with Ben Hare, who is back from Oxford University to play. Indoor veterans Andrew Dunn and Andy Richardson are also involved.