Matthew Hoggard yesterday sent a blunt message to the England selectors that he is back to full fitness and form by recording career-best figures of seven for 49 in Yorkshire's championship match against Somerset at Headingley.

Playing first-class cricket for the first time since a cartilage operation in late May, Hoggard sliced his way through the batting to overhaul his previous best return of seven for 63 for England in the Christchurch Test with New Zealand in the winter of 2001-2002.

Hoggard's sparkling effort expunged from the record book his previous best for Yorkshire of six for 51 against Essex at Scarborough two years ago.

With Yorkshire having to leave out Chris Silverwood because of a stiff neck, the Tykes were a front-line bowler light and Hoggard responded magnificently, dismissing openers Matthew Wood and Neil Edwards in his opening spell and then coming back from the other end before lunch to have Michael Burns caught at cover before knocking back Ian Blackwell's off-stump next ball.

Hoggard at this stage had taken four for 17 in 11 overs, four of which were maidens, and after the break he continued to destroy Somerset by hitting Rob

Turner's off-stump and later returning to tempt Tom Webley into hooking a

catch to Steven Kirby at long leg.

Somerset were looking down and out at 120 for eight but Steffan Jones and Richard Johnson began to hit their way out of trouble in a ninth-wicket stand of 79 in ten overs during which Johnson drove an extra cover six off Richard Dawson whose two overs cost him 28 runs before the off-spinner was removed from the attack.

The partnership was broken when Johnson, who had plundered 30 off 23 balls with four fours and a six, drove Kirby high to deep mid-on where Hoggard held on to a fine overhead catch. The stretchering off of Kirby following a return drive from last man Nixon McLean led to Hoggard being thrown the ball for an unexpected fourth spell and he closed the innings on 228 as McLean swiped him to Anthony McGrath at mid-wicket, leaving Jones unbeaten on 61 from 66 balls with 11 boundaries.

Craig White and Matthew Wood got the Yorkshire reply off to a cracking start with both batsmen playing some fine attacking shots which raced the score on to 72 in 16 overs at which stage young medium pacer Gareth Andrew came on to snatch two wickets with consecutive balls in his first over.

Wood edged to Turner for 40 with eight punishing boundaries and McGrath lunged unnecessarily at a wide first ball and was also caught behind, the slump continuing as Michael Lumb became Turner's third victim, the result of a lazy push at Johnson.

There was just time for Australian batsman, Damien Martyn, to mark his Yorkshire debut with an elegant cover boundary before bad light stopped play on 86 for three with 18 overs remaining, Yorkshire trailing by 142 runs.