Somerset's former England seamer Andrew Caddick is to retire from cricket at the end of the season.

The 40-year-old played 62 Tests taking 234 wickets at an average of under 30 while also claiming 69 victims in 54 one-day internationals.

Caddick, who is eighth in the list of all-time England Test wicket-takers, made his Somerset debut 18 years ago.

In 2005 he became one of only six current players to take 1,000 first-class wickets.

New Zealand-born Caddick has been a consistent performer with his county since his last international appearance in 2003 and was the leading English wicket-taker in 2007.

For the past 10 years I have been looking to prove the selectors wrong Andy Caddick

His most memorable season for Somerset was in 1998 when he claimed 105 first-class wickets, and his best figures (9-32) were made against Lancashire at Taunton in 1993.

Back and neck injuries plagued him for much of last season and the beginning of this one, and earlier this season he played for Minor County Championship side Wiltshire in a bid to improve his fitness.

"I'm 40 - it's as simple as that," said Caddick. "I wanted to call time while I was still physically and mentally strong, rather than playing on for the sake of it.

At the beginning of the year, Somerset honoured their hero by naming their new players' pavilion after him.

He was also awarded a testimonial in recognition of his work at the club over the last 20 years.

One of Caddick's regrets was that he had been unable to play 100 Tests for England.

"I started at the same time as Graham Thorpe, and he went on to achieve 100 Tests. I'd love to have reached that milestone, but it wasn't to be.

"I do feel that one of the problems in the past has been trying to chop and change players once they have been selected for England - and it probably affected me.

606: DEBATE Share your memories of Caddick's career

"It wasn't until Duncan Fletcher and Nasser Hussain took charge that I felt I was really backed for what I was trying to do."

But Caddick never gave up hope of winning an England recall.

"For the past 10 years I have been looking to prove the selectors wrong," he said. "I think I have done that on occasions.

"I'd love to have played in the last Test of the 2007 season when I was close to making the drive to The Oval, but it didn't happen.

"It would have been the icing on the cake to play there, and then hang up my boots as far as England was concerned."

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