How does Hoggard feel now about his pre match comments?

[Pedro Delgado]

Well we don't know yet do we, after all what Hoggy meant (I think) was will they be capable by the back-to-back tests/by the Oval test. We'll see I suppose, if Eng win the toss on a good wicket and make a fine total, McGrath will have to bowl a lot more overs. My view would be, they'll be okay.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Well we don't know yet do we, after all what Hoggy meant (I think) was will they be capable by the back-to-back tests/by the Oval test. We'll see I suppose, if Eng win the toss on a good wicket and make a fine total, McGrath will have to bowl a lot more overs. My view would be, they'll be okay.

You mean like in this game?
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard.asp?MatchCode=1757

Or this game (20 maidens!)
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard.asp?MatchCode=1762

That's two of his last three tests before this series.

Simply put, if McGrath wasn't capable of bowling long spells without luck on a flat wicket, he wouldn't be playing.

 

[age_master]

Probably the same as the whole England team at the moment.

Gutted.

i imagine so, but worse for him

 

[Pratters]

As the saying goes "let ur actions do the talking" but in Hoggards case he didnt and he's been made to look like an idiot... maybe he will learn for furture matches not to say something and then not be able to back it up

Just an insight but why are you so happy being from England and having one of the English bowlers look like a fool!

 

[Pedro Delgado]

You mean like in this game?
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard.asp?MatchCode=1757

Or this game (20 maidens!)
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard.asp?MatchCode=1762

That's two of his last three tests before this series.

Simply put, if McGrath wasn't capable of bowling long spells without luck on a flat wicket, he wouldn't be playing.

Not back-to-back matches though, which was my (well my inferred Hoggard) point. Clearly Hoggard didn't mean, "at this Lord's test McGrath will be too old".
Matthew though, is probably clutching at leg-spinning straws.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Not back-to-back matches though, which was my (well my inferred Hoggard) point. Clearly Hoggard didn't mean, "at this Lord's test McGrath will be too old".
Matthew though, is probably clutching at leg-spinning straws.

The three tests in that series were played over 20 days. The 10th to the 14th, the 18th to the 22nd and the 26th to the 30th. That's back to back matches by any definition. McGrath will get through the series fine - he's said himself his body feels better than it did two years ago. Hoggard may have a point next Ashes, when both will probably still be playing, but not now.

Remember that Richard Hadlee played until he was nearly 41. McGrath is six years younger than that, and they are fairly similar bowlers and both had good luck with injuries over the years.

 

[Steulen]

The three tests in that series were played over 20 days. The 10th to the 14th, the 18th to the 22nd and the 26th to the 30th. That's back to back matches by any definition. McGrath will get through the series fine - he's said himself his body feels better than it did two years ago. Hoggard may have a point next Ashes, when both will probably still be playing, but not now.

Remember that Richard Hadlee played until he was nearly 41. McGrath is six years younger than that, and they are fairly similar bowlers and both had good luck with injuries over the years.

I wouldn't call it luck. I think McGrath's smooth action, and the fact that he bowls well within himself, make him less prone to injuries. That's a quality, not a lean-back-let's-get-lucky thingie.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I wouldn't call it luck. I think McGrath's smooth action, and the fact that he bowls well within himself, make him less prone to injuries. That's a quality, not a lean-back-let's-get-lucky thingie.

Sure, but you can always get injured through no fault of your own. You are quite right though, that McGrath (and Hadlee, for that matter) contributed to their own longevity through maintaining a smooth action and not doing anything outrageous.

 

[Richard]

Of course McGrath wasn't unlucky in missing nearly a solid 18 month period with 2 separate ankle injuries... (of which occurred through no fault of his)

 

[Richard]

The three tests in that series were played over 20 days. The 10th to the 14th, the 18th to the 22nd and the 26th to the 30th. That's back to back matches by any definition. McGrath will get through the series fine - he's said himself his body feels better than it did two years ago. Hoggard may have a point next Ashes, when both will probably still be playing, but not now.

Remember that Richard Hadlee played until he was nearly 41. McGrath is six years younger than that, and they are fairly similar bowlers and both had good luck with injuries over the years.

Similar bowlers? !?!?!?!
Hadlee's action was all about force and thrust, McGrath's about rhythm, flow and repetition.
It's incredible that Hadlee bowled as long as he did.
I can't really see McGrath being too bothered by the single set of back-to-back Tests, but I do think he'll probably not bowl as well at Old Trafford as he bowled at Lord's and is likely to bowl at Edgbaston.

 

[Swervy]

Similar bowlers? !?!?!?!
Hadlee's action was all about force and thrust, McGrath's about rhythm, flow and repetition.
It's incredible that Hadlee bowled as long as he did.
I can't really see McGrath being too bothered by the single set of back-to-back Tests, but I do think he'll probably not bowl as well at Old Trafford as he bowled at Lord's and is likely to bowl at Edgbaston.

erm..hadlles action was about as smooth as you could get it..hadlees bowling was all about rhythm, flow and repetition as well, well in the last half of his career anyway

 

[Richard]

Hadlee's action was smooth and rhythmic, yes, but it was also utterly incomparable to McGrath's because he pushed his arm over and really forced the ball through, whereas McGrath has nearly always just let it drift out.

 

[Swervy]

Hadlee's action was smooth and rhythmic, yes, but it was also utterly incomparable to McGrath's because he pushed his arm over and really forced the ball through, whereas McGrath has nearly always just let it drift out.

merely an optical illusion

 

[Richard]

Optical illusion that some see and some don't?
I don't see how that can be so.
Hadlee's action and McGrath's have little in common, even while both are exceptional.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just thought I'd resurrect this thread. In light of McGrath's injuries & the sub-par performance of certain senior (in both senses of the word! ) Oz players, I wonder if Hoggy is congratulating himself on his prescience now?

 

[PY]

I was thinking some gold....I mean thread digging might happen at some point in this series. Didn't think it'd be you though.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Not really. McGrath stepped on a ball, he didn't break down because he's old and can't hack back-to-back tests. The reason Hoggard's comments were so stupid is because Australia had just finished playing a series of three back-to-back tests in New Zealand, after a greuling period which saw them tour India, play five tests at home and play two ODI series in the space of a few months. McGrath can clearly take playing in a five test series, as can Warne, he just happened to suffer a freak injury this time. If anything, it is guys like Flintoff and Jones that are injury prone, while McGrath very rarely gets injured, despite having the best part of a decade on them.

 

[social]

Not really. McGrath stepped on a ball, he didn't break down because he's old and can't hack back-to-back tests. The reason Hoggard's comments were so stupid is because Australia had just finished playing a series of three back-to-back tests in New Zealand, after a greuling period which saw them tour India, play five tests at home and play two ODI series in the space of a few months. McGrath can clearly take playing in a five test series, as can Warne, he just happened to suffer a freak injury this time. If anything, it is guys like Flintoff and Jones that are injury prone, while McGrath very rarely gets injured, despite having the best part of a decade on them.

It was also revealed that McGrath suffered the elbow injury in the last test but chose to play the Northants game regardless - that's not being injury-prone, that's being stupid.

 

[honestbharani]

I wonder how McGrath feels after his glorious prediction of 5-0 has been ripped to shreds. I mean, in 2001 and in 2003, Australia were SO MUCH better than England and yet they couldn't do a whitewash and for McGrath to suggest that they were going to whitewash this England side (the best for a while) was just plain stupid. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Not really. McGrath stepped on a ball, he didn't break down because he's old and can't hack back-to-back tests. The reason Hoggard's comments were so stupid is because Australia had just finished playing a series of three back-to-back tests in New Zealand, after a greuling period which saw them tour India, play five tests at home and play two ODI series in the space of a few months. McGrath can clearly take playing in a five test series, as can Warne, he just happened to suffer a freak injury this time. If anything, it is guys like Flintoff and Jones that are injury prone, while McGrath very rarely gets injured, despite having the best part of a decade on them.

Well doesn't the fact that McGrath until now hasn't been injury prone make Hoggy's comments all the more prescient? Granted the ankle was a combo of Haddin's ar$e pass & Buchanan's unfortunately positioned ball, but Alcott said the elbow contains "artefacts", which just sounds like medicalese for wear & tear.

He may be a very fit 35 year old, but he's still pensioner-age as seamers go. I read in a report yesterday that he's only the 4th Oz fast bowler to play past 35, of the others Tommo had his 35th birthday in his final test & Lindwall and Miller presumably had their careers extended by the enforced 6 year break for WWII. Superhuman he may be, but he's already bowled more overs than any other seamer bar (possibly) Walsh. It's got to catch up with him sooner or later.