Welsh Wizards are back for the new Premier Squash League season and they are thirsting for success.
Egyptian ace Marwan ElShorbagy, the former World number three, returns for his second season and he is among seven men on the team.
Welsh ace Tesni Evans, ranked nine in the World, is among five ladies who have committed to Wizards.
Peter Creed, Emyr Evans, Elliott Morris Devred and Evans are the Welsh players selected, but Welsh performance director David Evans was unable to reach agreement with World number 12 Joel Makin.
The Wales number one lives and trains in the English Midlands, while he played for University of Birmingham Lions last season.
Wizards had hoped Makin, originally from West Wales, would return to Wales for PSL action, but he will stay with Birmingham.
The PSL format has changed for the 2019-20 campaign.
The new-look league will now feature three men and two women in every match, a change from 4+1.
North and South divisions remain, but the maximum number of teams will be reduced to 10 (five in each) to help avoid conflict with PSA World Tour dates and reduce the financial burden on teams.
Teams will be allowed to field a maximum of one male and one female player from outside the UK.
For 2020-21, the league will move away from parallel divisions to create a Premier League and a Championship League.
The top two teams from the North and South Divisions will automatically qualify for the Premier league, the bottom two teams will play in the Championship league, while the third place teams will play-off with the winner joining the Premier League.
Reaction to the PSL changes has been positive with more than 15 teams expressing an interest in participating in the new format. Ten, including Wizards, have been accepted.
The 2019-20 season promises to be one of the most entertaining yet. Matches will begin in October and run through to May.
Welsh Wizards confirmed squad for 2019-20 Premier Squash League
Men: Marwan ElShorbaggy, Omar Mosaad, Edmon Lopez, Peter Creed, Emyr Evans, Elliott Morris Devred, James Peach
Women: Tesni Evans, Joshna Chinappa, Rachael Chadwick, Milou V Heidjen, Anna Kimberley
Professional Squash League 2019-20
Northern Division
Northumberland Club/Newcastle University
Team Coolhurst
Team Pontefract
RAC PSL Team
University of Birmingham Lions
Southern Division
St Georges Hill
University of Nottingham
University of Warwick/Kenilworth Squash
Scotland
Welsh Wizards
Professional Squash League fixtures
October
Tuesday 1
Round one
Birmingham v Pontefract
Warwick v Welsh Wizards
Newcastle v Nottingham
Coolhurst v RAC
Round two
Tuesday 15
Nottingham v Birmingham
RAC v Warwick
Pontefract v Scotland
Welsh Wizards v St George’s
Round three
Tuesday 5
Newcastle v Birmingham
Coolhurst v Warwick
Scotland v Nottingham
St George’s v RAC
Round four
Birmingham v Scotland
Warwick v St George’s
Pontefract v Newcastle
Welsh Wizards v Coolhurst
Round five
Tuesday 10
Nottingham v Pontefract
RAC v Welsh Wizards
Scotland v Newcastle
St George’s v Coolhurst
Second Half fixtures
Round six
Tuesday 7
Pontefract v Birmingham
Welsh Wizards v Warwick
Nottingham v Newcastle
RAC v Coolhurst
Round seven
Dates to be arranged
Birmingham v Nottingham
Warwick v RAC
Scotland v Pontefract
St George’s v Welsh Wizards
Round eight
Dates to be arranged
Birmingham v Newcastle
Warwick v Cohorts
Nottingham v Scotland
RAC v St George’s
Round nine
Dates to be arranged
Scotland v Birmingham
St George’s v Warwick
Newcastle v Pontefract
Coolhurst v Welsh Wizards
Round 10
Dates to be arranged
Pontefract v Nottingham
Welsh Wizards v RAC
Newcastle v Scotland
Coolhurst v St George’s
Semi-finals and final to be arranged.