HAMPSHIRE'S Graham Standley goes into the New Year determined to retain his place in the England team for this season's British Isles International Series.

The Longmeadow bowler - a member of the triumphant England side who regained the Hilton Trophy in the delayed 2000-01 BIIS at Belfast during October - will be out to impress the selectors during the international trial at Wellingborough on Saturday, January 5.

Standley - Hampshire's assistant Liberty Trophy manager - plays at number two in a rink completed by Cumbrians Paul Barlow (lead) and Steve Farish with Danny Denison of Torquay United as skip.

He will be joined at the Northamptonshire venue by Hampshire colleague Dean Morgan, who leads for Gavin Taylor (Cumbria), John McGuiness (Desborough Maidenhead) and John Leeman (Stanley, Durham).

Although the East Dorset member is an England outdoor regular and has been chosen for the Commonwealth Games team next summer, he has not featured in the indoor series since 1995.

This winter's BIIS is scheduled for Swansea on March 13-15.

Last season's series in Ireland was called off in the spring because of the foot and mouth epidemic and was re-arranged for this autumn.

Standley, who made his first international appearance in 1983 but who had not been selected since 1992, was originally named as a reserve for the trip to Ireland but was promoted to the starting line-up in October when a member of the side pulled out because of work commitments.

Hampshire's Matthew Marchant helped England retain the Bernard Telfer Trophy in the annual under-25 international against Wales at the Mid-Gloucestershire club Brockworth.

England took five of the six rinks in their 133-82 win, Marchant leading for the quartet skipped by Gavin Taylor (Cumbria), who beat Gareth Harris 23-15.

Victory bowler Marchant was first capped by England in 1998.