How CADdick could be straight out of CADet school

He walked in tall when England were down and out at 191 for 9. Neither overawed by the situation nor shaky on seeing his opponents rampant, he unleashed a flurry of strokes all round the wicket taking his team to a respectable total while more than ably partnering Alec Stewart for a 100-plus stand for the last wicket.

Andrew Caddick Photo © CricInfo

Yes, you're right, I'm talking about Andrew Caddick, that lanky Somerset paceman who's lately turned into a useful lower order batsman. He has always reminded me of a fresh and upright cadet in a military academy.

Well, I'm not fully aware of the norms at various military academies around the world, but I do know what it is like to be an army cadet in Pakistan - having myself been in one for some time - and do know that many of the traditions here were from the British army.

The first thing they - your trainers - try to inculcate is discipline capped by aggression - of personality, bearing and countenance. Chicken-hearted souls, extreme cases of introversion, are a definite no for these academies; they aren't picked for training in the first place.

Now reader, don't be impatient and don't wonder what a cadet has to do with Andy, apart from the coincidence of the first three letters of his name. I feel there's something else in common, too!

As for the first quality, I wonder if there is any bowler in the present England squad who's more organised, disciplined and upright than CADdick? And, if there is one, I'm simply not aware of his name. Gough, his opening partner, may be deadlier, more incisive maybe, but not more disciplined or as accurate.

And as for aggression, I'd ask, is there any doubt in your mind about CADdick's, aggression after watching him butchering McGrath, Shane Warne and Co. on the first day at Edgbaston? He came to the crease and started playing his shots with sheer hostility, not hitherto seen in England ranks during the whole of the innings.

The icing on the cake is perhaps the fact that he had saved his best for the Aussies - the one-day and Test champions of the world. After hammering 36 (44 balls) in the last league match of the NatWest Series at The Oval, he carried on in the same vein to slaughter the Aussie attack yet again, getting 49 not out off just 40 balls, of which seven went to the rope and one over it. Surely stuff to remember.

Now, I did tell you above, CADdick reminded me of a cadet even before he produced that blitz the other day against Australia.

Well, most must be aware that immediately after entering the doors of a military academy, the new recruit has to have a close shave of his head. That happened to me too. And the most conspicuous feature of my face, subsequent to that head shave, were my ears protruding like sails of a two-mast yacht, if nothing else!

Looking at this tall, well-built, upright and soldier-like paceman just harks back to my days of cadetship. He does stand and deliver with the best of them!