HARD hitting Heather Murray has been selected for the England rounders team.

The 15-year-old has played a starring role in St. Antony's Catholic College rounders team this year and impressed at the national trials.

She will now be a key member of the England under-16 team in the forthcoming home international series playing both as a top order hitter and dynamic fast throwing fielder out in the deep.

Heather, who wants to study physical education at university and eventually become a PE teacher, learned the basics by playing baseball as a child.

Heather said: “The two games are surprisingly similar, just that we have poles and not bases in the ground and the bat is a lot smaller in rounders which means you get less leverage on your swing through the ball.”

She added: “I started playing rounders when I was about was about eight-years-old at St. Monica's in Flixton and just got the hooked. It's a fun a game and you play it with your friends, what's not to love about the sport.”

She added: “I have to say I much prefer rounders and baseball to cricket. I'll play some cricket, but don't ask me to watch it.”

St. Antony's Catholic School College head of physical education Kevin Speake said: “Heather has superb hand to eye coordination which she developed at an early age and is a natural athlete with a great arm. There is strong competition to make the England team and to make it into any national side at whatever age level and or sport is a simply stunning achievement.”