Nathan Robertson will team up with a new partner, Jenny Wallwork, when he mounts a defence of his Commonwealth Games mixed doubles crown in Delhi in October of this year after the retirement of Gail Emms.

The duo are already European bronze medallists and National champions and have broken into the world’s top 15 pairs since forming a partnership in October 2008.

Robertson also reignites his 2004 European silver-winning men’s doubles partnership with Anthony Clark for the Games from October 3-14, 2010. They hit peak form last year when they won England’s first Super Series title at the Singapore Open.

Both men were part of England’s gold medal team in 2002 at the Games and Clark won men’s doubles bronze in 2006 with Robert Blair. Clark is on course to join Robertson in the elite group of players to reach 100 caps during the team even in Delhi.

Nathan Robertson said: "I am delighted again to be selected to go the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Winning gold in Melbourne was one of the highlights of my career so far and I am looking forward to trying to defend my mixed title with new partner Jenny Wallwork.

"I also have a great chance in the men's doubles with Anthony Clark and he should also win his 100th cap during the team competition.

"We played together on my 100th cap last year and I very much hope we can play together again on his 100th appearance, which is always a very special moment for any player."

Elizabeth Cann will play for the first time for England at the Games having finished fourth in the women’s singles in 2006 for Jersey.

Recent US Open men’s singles winner Rajiv Ouseph, the three-times National champion, continued his recent rise with selection for Delhi. Earlier this month he broke into the top 20 in the world and is a European bronze medallist in the men’s singles.

England’s Delhi squad includes six of the 2010 world championships squad.

“It’s exciting to welcome such a strong badminton squad into the team for Delhi”, said Craig Hunter, England’s Chef de Mission for Delhi. “I am sure they will provide some compelling sport for us all to savour”.

Adrian Christy, Badminton England’s Chief Executive, said: “The England team are very much looking forward to competing in the XIX Commonwealth Games. The strength of the squad we have selected underlines the importance the Games are in our performance programme and for many of our athletes, this will be their first experience of a mutli-sport event.

“We are prepared, fully focused and looking forward to arriving in Delhi.”

Chris Adcock and Andrew Smith will join Robertson, Clark and Ouseph in the men’s squad, whilst Mariana Agathangelou and Heather Olver – European women’s doubles bronze medallists back in April - and Gabby White complete the women’s line-up.

Malaysia, who have world top-ten ranked men’s and women’s doubles combinations, will be hot favourites to take the men’s singles title through world no.1 Lee Chong Wei and England and Malaysia could be set to go head-to-head once more for the team gold.

Delhi marks the 12th successive appearance for badminton at the Games since its debut in Kingston, Jamaica. At that first Games England took three of the five golds on offer as well as two silvers and two bronzes.

England badminton teams have gone on to take their medal haul to 93 in total – 34 golds, 27 silvers and 32 bronzes from the total of 64 golds, 64 silvers and 83 bronzes awarded.

Meanwhile, England’s overall tally includes a brace of gold medals at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms put their mixed doubles quarter-final exit at Manchester 2002 behind them to take gold in Melbourne.

Tracey Hallam, now retired, also struck gold at the 2006 Games, adding gold to the women’s singles silver and team gold she won in Manchester four years earlier.

England also won silver in the team competition in Melbourne, as well as bronzes in the women’s doubles (Gail Emms & Donna Kellogg) and in the men’s doubles (Robert Blair & Anthony Clark).

Team

Men
Chris Adcock
Anthony Clark
Rajiv Ouseph
Nathan Robertson
Andrew Smith

Women
Mariana Agathangelou
Elizabeth Cann
Heather Olver
Jenny Wallwork
Gabby White

England Caps:- Men: Robertson 101, Clark 97, Smith 33, Ouseph 29, Adcock 13. Women: Cann 31, Wallwork 24, White 14, Agathangelou 7, Olver 3.