by Cath Harris

SEAM bowler Katharine Winks has been named in the full England squad who tour Australia and New Zealand early next year.

She replaces Sarah Collyer whose first year commitments to her physiotherapy course at Bristol University have forced her to drop out of the tour.

Winks, 21, from Leigh on Mendip, near Bath, has won two England caps, both against Australia in One-Day Internationals in 1988. She helped England A to European Cup victory last summer and played for England U-21s for seven years.

In 1998 she was vice-captain of England U-21s for their tour of South Africa which included two ODIs against the junior Proteas team.

Winks is a right-arm seam bowler and left-hand bat who is in her final year of a BA (Hons) Education degree at Winchester College.

England coach Paul Farbrace said: "It's a shame to lose Sarah but Katharine is a similar cricketer and we are fortunate to have such a good reserve to call upon. The tour will give her a great opportunity to prove she should be in the 2000 World Cup squad."

England play four ODIs against Australia and five against New Zealand. They leave for Sydney on January 21 and return from Auckland on February 24.

For more information call Paul Farbrace on 0467 473430, Katharine Winks on 01962 842917 or Cath Harris, Media Relations Officer on 0171 432 1272.