Cricket: Caddick collects season's best

ANDY CADDICK pressed his claim for an England recall with a sparkling display in front of the national coach David Lloyd at Old Trafford yesterday. The seamer's 5 for 80 off 29 overs, the first five-wicket haul by a Somerset bowler this season, lifted his tally for the season to 33 and boosted his chances of being named today as the replacement for the injured England fast bowler Darren Gough.

Despite Caddick's efforts, Lancashire hold the upper hand after Wasim Akram and Glen Chapple initiated a second-innings collapse to 47 for 4 when Somerset began their pursuit of a 271-run victory target.

Caddick, who had match figures of 9 for 147, took four of the six Lancashire wickets to fall yesterday as they slipped to 236 all out from their overnight position of 139 for 4. But that left Somerset needing to make the highest score of the match to win on a pitch which has helped the seamers throughout.

Overnight and morning rain, which left the outfield resembling a lake, meant that only 39 overs were possible at Cardiff where Worcestershire, on 127 for 4, finished with a 112-run lead over Glamorgan. A positive result now seems unlikely unless the two captains can concoct a run chase tomorrow. Graeme Hick and Vikram Solanki launched a furious assault. Hick reached his half-century off 73 balls with seven fours.

Duncan Fletcher is close to agreeing a three-year contract to return as Glamorgan's coach from next summer. The 47-year-old Zimbabwean steered Glamorgan to their first Championship since 1969 last season.

Rain saved Hampshire from an early defeat at Headingley.