VIKRAM Solanki believes a gruelling first season as Worcestershire captain will stand him in good stead for 2006.

The England one-day international batsman replaced Ben Smith as County skipper and revealed his own campaign had been "tough."

He oversaw Worcestershire's relegation to Division Two of the totesport League on Sunday, when Lancashire romped to a 75-run victory at New Road, while the County failed in its Frizzell County Championship promotion bid.

Solanki, 29, also fell behind his normal high-standards with the bat. He failed to post a century in 12 Championship matches, while in the one-day league, he averaged 36 and scored less than 500 runs.

Solanki, who tours Pakistan this winter with the England one-day squad, is hopeful that a difficult season will make him a better leader.

"It's been tough," said Solanki. "I'm making no hiding of that fact. It's always tough when you lose. But I think I've learnt a considerable amount in my first year as captain.

"I've had a great deal of support from the supporters. I can't thank them enough. You need people around that are helpful and can offer a word of advice here or there.

"Hopefully, I can take things from a captaincy perspective into next year, having done the job for a year."

Only two batsmen, player-of-the-year Smith and opener Stephen Moore, posted more than 1,000 Championship runs for Worcestershire this summer.

Solanki praised the duo's sterling efforts, adding: "Ben and Stephen performed brilliantly. But unfortunately, a cricket team requires much more than two guys to come to the party as consistently as they have."