Andy Caddick has called on the England selectors to include more experienced players in the Test side.
Age no barrier, says Somerset paceman
Somerset seam bowler Andrew Caddick has called on the England selectors to opt for experience when they name the Test squad to tour Sri Lanka on Friday.
Caddick made his comments amid speculation that his fellow 38-year-old Mark Ramprakash is to be recalled at the expense of struggling opener Andrew Strauss.
Ramprakash has scored more the 2,000 first-class runs for Surrey in each of the last two seasons, but earned the last of his 52 Test caps back in April 2002.
"There have to be rewards for players who play to the best of their ability on the county circuit," Caddick told PA Sport.
"If you've got players who are bowling well, batting well, they should be pushing on the door of those who are playing international cricket and not doing well.
"I don't care what age you are. If you're getting thousands of runs and taking hundreds of wickets, you should be knocking on the door of these youngsters."
Meeting
Caddick, who took 234 wickets in 62 Tests, came close to a recall for the third Test against India this summer and hopes to be considered again after a mid-season meeting with England selector Geoff Miller.
The Christchurch-born bowler played the last of those Tests in Sydney in January 2003, marking the occasion with a 10-wicket match haul that saw England to a 225-run win.
"I spoke with Geoff Miller up at Derby and told him what I could bring to the fold," Caddick said.
"It's still up to the selectors to decide whether Andy Caddick should still be involved in English cricket."
Competition
The paceman is critical of some of England's selection decisions in recent years and insists all England players should work hard for their places.
"The last thing you want is youngsters doing the job and thinking they're going to keep it for the next two or three years," added Caddick.
"You want players to be pushing these youngsters and saying you might be coming up as a good international player but I'm still here and I'm going to push you and push you and make you a better bowler.
"The only way you're going to get development is by competition, whether that's another youngster pushing another youngster to perform or an older player pushing a youngster to perform.
"Whatever age, as long as you're pushing players to perform, you've got a healthy back-up of players.
"There will be competition, not only against the opposition but competition against your own team-mates and that's the only way that English cricket will move forward."
