NEW Glamorgan vice-captain Robert Croft has set himself twin goals this season - helping his side achieve promotion back to County Championship First Division and regaining his England Test place.

"I want to play for England again, that's for sure," said the 31-year-old veteran of 21 Tests. "For reasons well known, I pulled out of the England tour to India which makes it harder to win my place back, but if I play well enough at county level, then, hopefully, I'll do it. "I thoroughly understand the lads who did well this winter deserve the first chance this summer, but we're all looking for the same job.

"My main goal this season is to help Glamorgan get back into the First Division. "And if you look back over the years, it is when Glamorgan have done well that we've had most representation in the England side, A side or the Academy."

Croft believes his added burden as vice-captain will improve his chances. "The added responsibility gives me something else to think about through the season, but, first and foremost, the important thing is to play well for Glamorgan, taking wickets and scoring runs.

"Hopefully as vice-captain, I can provide a bit of experience, a bit of the arm around the shoulder now and again and a pat on the back if things are going great for people. "If I have to do the captain's job, hopefully I'd do it in a way which would be successful for the team.

"I would hope to call on my experiences not only in this country but on Test duty, playing against such great captains as Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh. "But when Steve's in charge, I see my job as an extra pair of eyes and extra pair of ears to help along the way."

He added: "It will be really nice this year if some of the young lads come through and really hold their hands up.

"I wouldn't say they haven't quite made it, but perhaps they have not yet achieved their full potential.

"The boys have worked hard this winter, a couple with the Academy in Australia and a couple out in Perth and other parts of the world.

"And a lot of the lads, who haven't been away, have been in the nets since November. They aren't paid to do that, so it shows the desire and the passion is there. "In fact, the buzz around the place is greater than I have known for a long time."

He continued: "The thing for everybody this season is to work hard on their skill levels, which is where I believe we, in Great Britain, have fallen behind the rest of the world. "That means batting for long periods of time, bowlers putting six balls in the right area and catchers catching."

Regarding the future, he said: "You have to aim for the top. You've got to want to stand on the balconies of Canterbury, Taunton and Cardiff, where we have won things to know that it's the only place to be."