Date-stamped : 13 Dec93 - 09:03
The Guardian 15 May 1993 - Caddick's  nine wickets demolishes La-
ncashire - David Foot at Taunton - County championship: Somerset
v Lancashire

 In one of the most eventful and enthralling day's play seen here
for years, 26 wickets fell as Somerset eventually bowled out Lan-
cashire for 72 to win by 15 runs in two days.
 Above all, it was a triumph for Andy Caddick,  England's  latest
Test bowling prospect. He took nine for 32 in just over 11 overs,
having demolished Lancashire's early order with a  stunning  five
for  five  prelude.  It  was the best bowling in the championship
since Derbyshire's Fred Swarbrook took nine for 20 against Sussex
at Hove in 1975.
 Here was controlled pace of undeniable calibre, typified by  the
pre-determined calm of his big-striding run-up. There was, as al-
ways with this lean, towering bowler, the threat of bounce -  and
enough movement through the air to demand sharp, willing reflexes
from his slips and keeper.
 The uncertainty of the batsmen on both sides made one wonder  at
times  whether there were demons in this greenish track. In fact,
it was simply the bowlers who produced the venom. The ball seamed
minimally.
 Instead, it was three memorable fast bowling performances - from
DeFreitas  and  Wasim  as  well  as Caddick - complemented by the
wristy guile of Mushtaq. ''This was a great game of  cricket.  We
had only left Lancashire 88 to get at the end but I felt it would
be enough,'' said Bob Cottam, Somerset's director of cricket.
 Never was the contest less than absorbing. The  balance  between
ball  and  bat  gave  added spice to the match. Lancashire really
should have won, but sacrificed wickets at the start of play when
they could have built a target beyond Somerset's reach.
 If Caddick, sweet of action with the  purring  smoothness  of  a
Rolls-Royce, was the ultimate match-winner, there were unlikelier
heroes, such as Van Troost for his batting.
 He went in last when Somerset batted a second time and  was  top
scorer.  He spurned caution or the niceties of the game. The fly-
ing Dutchman generally thought of as the county's fastest bowler,
really  belongs to the halls when he goes to the wicket. He backs
to square-leg and still, with that  phenomenal  stretch  of  his,
manages  somehow  to  reach the ball. He hit two sixes off Martin
and, seemingly with blows from the base of his  bat,  reached  35
before succumbing to a catch at long-off.
 Lancashire, 142 for four overnight, were all out for 222  and  a
modest  lead.   Mushtaq  had taken four wickets; Caddick and Rose
got the others.  Fairbrother went  out  with  a  runner  for  the
briefest  possible  duration.  By the time the players had lunch,
Somerset were in turn 31 for four. It was looking  very  much  as
though  DeFreitas  would be dominating everyone's words of praise
for a second day.
 His final figures were five for 55, giving him 12 for  131  from
the  match,  his best for Lancashire and only one wicket short of
his match-highest for Leicestershire at Southend. He,  like  Cad-
dick  later, was doing just enough to disconcert the batsmen. But
essentially it was a day when the bowling, straight and challeng-
ing, predominated.
 Somerset, completing their second championship win with an ebul-
lience  that  characterises their approach these days, held on to
every catch, none better than Harden's at slip and Caddick's  off
his  own  bowling. Watkinson alone stayed, until he was ninth out
playing on.

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