Caddick eyes county pinnacle

Andy Caddick celebrates Alex Wharf's wicket in the 299-run LVCC win against Glamorgan at Taunton © Getty Images

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Somerset seamer Andy Caddick is confident his newly-promoted side can challenge for the LV County Championship Division One title next year in their first season back in the top flight since 2002.

The 38-year-old’s optimism was unthinkable a year ago when the only county for whom he has played finished bottom of the second division with just 140 points.

But after a dismal first season in charge, coach Andy Hurry and new captain Justin Langer have turned Somerset’s fortunes around with Caddick proving instrumental in the transition.

His 70 championship wickets at 24.14 this season helped the side romp to the Division Two title with a 51.5-point cushion over runners-up Nottinghamshire.

Caddick also topped Somerset's NatWest Pro40 bowling averages as they also achieved promotion from Division Two with a second-place finish - one point behind Durham.

And the former England paceman, who claimed 234 wickets in 63 Tests, expects the side to continue where they left off in 2008.

“We are capable of staying in the first division. We've got the team to do that and we've got the leadership to do that, from the management to the captain,” Caddick told ecb.co.uk.

Caddick has Ben Edmondson lbw first ball against Gloucs, his seventh first-innings scalp

“I would have thought we would be pushing to the top of the first division next year and I think we could possibly win it but we've got to be very disciplined and very focused.

“We've got a team who are confident that they can beat the likes of Sussex and Lancashire and the stronger teams in the first division.”

The tribulations of the previous season meant Somerset's early season goals were realistic despite having one of the strongest squads in the second tier with the likes of Marcus Trescothick and Ian Blackwell plus Australian duo Langer and Cameron White in the ranks.

“The team goal for the season was to try and finish with promotion in both the Pro40 and the county championship but to actually be up and running and be competing with the other teams was the main goal,” Caddick added.

“We had goals of trying improve and getting ourselves out of the second division. Coming second or first didn't matter but to actually go on and win it was even better.”

Somerset set about achieving their targets in ruthless fashion and, despite disappointing Friends Provident Trophy and Twenty20 Cup campaigns, won 10 of their 16 championship matches - including home and away wins over the other promoted side Nottinghamshire - and five out of eight NatWest Pro40 games.

Caddick salutes the Sydney crowd after his last Test back in early 2003 © Getty Images

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While five of the county's batsmen scored more than 1,000 first-class runs, Caddick believes his new ball partnership with South Africa paceman Charl Willoughby - who took 62 first-class wickets - was crucial.

“The main thing for me was to stay injury free - that was the crux of it. The team were injury free - both myself and Charl Willoughby - and that's going to be the key next year that our bowling attack stays fit,” he said.

“The real test for us was Notts up at Trent Bridge knowing that was the sort of team we will be playing next year and to do so well against them proved we are a really good side.”

Caddick's personal highlight was his season-best figures against Gloucestershire in the championship win at Bristol. He claimed 7-30 in the first innings and followed this up with 5-41 in the second innings as Somerset won by an innings and 151 runs.

His performances with the ball prompted talk of an England recall during the Test series against India - four years on from his last Test appearance in the January 2003 victory over Australia in Sydney.

“To have match figures of 12-71 was great against Gloucester. To beat Gloucester, our close rivals was great, and to be so close to a Test recall in the last Test was even better.

“There are still things I could be doing for Somerset and I would love to have thought that coming up to the age of 38 I could still be playing for England.”