THE EXCELLENT start to the indoor bowls season made by Westlecot’s Neil Smith and his two teenage daughters Lucy and Katy has been noted by the England International Team selectors.

Neil and 17-year-old Katy, who plays out of Bournemouth IBC, recently won their World Bowls Tour pairs qualifier to book a place at Potters next January in the pairs competition at the World Championships.

Meanwhile, both Katy and Lucy, 19, had fine runs at Cynon Valley, Mountain Ash, Wales, a fortnight ago in the Ladies World Match Play qualifier and just missed out on booking a place at Potters.

The Smith trio were all invited by the England selectors to attend international trials in December, after which the teams for the 2014/15 British Isles Indoor Bowls Championships next February and March will be named.

Lucy already holds one junior cap. She was initially only named as a reserve for the U25 side last season in Nottingham but came off the bench to make her debut in a winning rink against Scotland, helping England to the claim the title in the crucial decider.

For Katy, who is making big strides, particularly in the indoor game, and has competed at the English national championships in both singles and pairs events, this will be her first U25 trial.

Dad Neil has been knocking on the indoor selectors’ door for several seasons but so far has yet to make his England debut, despite some excellent results in the national singles championship and an international singles tournament in Jersey.

The nearest he has come to an England cap was last season when he was named as first reserve but sat on the bench for the entire British Isles Men’s Championship in Stanley, Durham, despite England failing to impress and missing out on the title to Scotland.

Neil has been invited to the men’s senior trial, which will be held at Melton & District, in Leicestershire on Sunday, December 7.

Meanwhile, Lucy and Katy will take part in the U25 trial a week later on Saturday, December 13 at Nottingham.