WICKFORD’S Josh Batch has been selected in Great Britain’s senior ice hockey squad for the first time.

The Cardiff Devils star has been included in an initial 31 man roster which will be cut down to 23 for the Wolrd Championships in Holland next month.

And Batch, a former Westcliff High School pupil, is thrilled to have been called up.

“It's great news to have been selected but while I am very pleased to be on the squad they still have to cut it down to the final 23 players that will travel to Holland for the World Championships in April,” said the 24-year-old.

“I’m not going to get too carried away but I am obviously delighted.”

The call up also made it a memorable few days for Batch who won the Challenge Cup final with the Cardiff Devils on Sunday.

Batch labelled the 2-1 victory against Sheffield Steelers as the biggest moment of his career.

And he now hopes to be able to enjoy another memorable moment by making the cut.

“It would be a real honour to represent Great Britain should I make the final team,” said Batch.

“It has always been an ambition of mine to represent my country at senior level.”

Batch previously played for England from under 13 to under 16 and then also represented Great Britain at under 20 level.

Batch will now be hoping to stay in the squad for back to back international games with Poland at the start of April.

After that the GB team will head to Eindhoven for the World Championships where they have been drawn to face the hosts Holland,along with Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania and Korea.