Identical twins Alex and Dominic Barnes have been earmarked by England under-18s just three years after first picking up hockey sticks.

The 17-year-old midfielders from Eastbourne joked with each other about a national call up this season, but now have even more cause to laugh.

Alex is among 35 preparing for next month's training camp at Seaford College, Petworth, to decide the final squad and Dominic made the last-70 trial Stunned Alex said: "We just cannot believe how swiftly it has happened for us.

"We are competitive as brothers and Dominic is a bit jealous that I got through and he didn't, but the fact the selectors considered us in the first place is fantastic when you consider we did not even play until we were nearly 15. It is getting exciting.

"We were talking at the beginning of the season about our aims and joked about England but thought getting a place in the regional squad would be a smaller, more realistic target.

"It's all like a dream. Hopefully I can follow my hero Ben Hawes, who plays for Lewes and is in the England under-21 set-up."

The Eastbourne College pair have even been fast-tracked at club level. They have moved from the Eastbourne Eaglets to compete in the first team's Kent and Sussex Division One campaign this season to catch the eye of selectors.

Alex said: "I think we've made a quick improvement because we are quite keen and go to lots of practise.

"We are good at most sports, fit and athletic and have good natural ability as far as hand to eye co-ordination is concerned.

"Maybe the reason I made the cut instead of Dom is that my decision-making is a bit quicker, but he missed a lot of last season through injury, so he has got time to catch up and he could be ahead of me this time next year."

The former St Richards (Bexhill) pupils have an understanding on the field.

Alex said: "People talk about telepathy betweens twins. I'm not sure about that but we always know in a passing movement where the other will be.

"Physically there's not much difference between us to look at but we are different a little in temperament. Dom gets more wound up than I do."

Dominic, who broke his collarbone playing for the College against Tonbridge, confessed to suffering from envy with his brother in line to make final selection.

He said: "I was gutted not to join him in the next stage, but it was encouraging to have been given a trial so soon, particularly after being out so long. Hopefully I will get other chances."

One thing Dominic is leading his brother in hockey in at the moment is in goalscoring.

He said: "I have scored six goals and Alex has five."

Ironically his sixth, in a 4-0 victory over Mad Hatters (Kent) on Sunday, was made by Alex, with Joe Manjaly, Tom Breeze and Ollie Gale also on target.

College coach David Miller described the rise of the brothers in the sport as "phenomenal".

He said: "They attended a multi sports fun day taken by Malcolm McNeill at The Saffrons and were bitten by the bug. Their development in their club has been meteoric."

Miller is hopeful the brothers will join the College's international roll of honour. Paul Stewart played for England in the Home Under-18s internationals in which Howard Lewis was reserve goalkeeper.

He said: "We have done reasonably well in recent years for producing internationals."

They have also brought on many regional players and a satellite centre has been set up at the college by the Regional Academy which is based in East Grinstead with chief coach Dave Passmore travelling to Eastbourne to coach.

The College has Sophie Mills, Jenny Webborn, Richard Chilcott, Katie Bull and the Barnes' included in the regional squads.