Jimmy Anderson v Matthew Hoggard; in perfect swing bowling conditions

[UncleTheOne]

i think there's little doubt that a who's the better bowler contest would end up with hoggard winning by a fair margin. he was a more consistent performer throughout his career and as his career wore on showed he was more capable in unfavourable conditions than anderson has to date.

but if presented with perfect conditions for swing bowling, a new ball and the choice of one of these leading your attack, who would you take?

 

[Jono]

The 'leading your attack' aspect is the only factor which Jimmy actually wins on IMO.

Both extremely high quality when the ball is hooping though.

 

[tooextracool]

This should be a relatively simply poll. Anderson is way ahead, seriously if Anderson played all of his games with the ball swinging he would be in the league amongst the greatest. Few swing it both ways and as late as Anderson can. Hoggard was an average swing bowler.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, regarding the actual question I do believe it is Anderson

 

[BoyBrumby]

This should be a relatively simply poll. Anderson is way ahead, seriously if Anderson played all of his games with the ball swinging he would be in the league amongst the greatest. Few swing it both ways and as late as Anderson can. Hoggard was an average swing bowler.

Reckon that's well harsh on Hoggy; only swung it the one way, but was lethal on more than one occasion when conditions suited.

 

[Riggins]

I'm gonna go for Hoggard, just because from watching limited amounts of them both, always thought Hoggy was a legend and someone I'd want to play for my team, whereas Anderson a whinging bitch who can go and get himself to ****.

 

[tooextracool]

Reckon that's well harsh on Hoggy; only swung it the one way, but was lethal on more than one occasion when conditions suited.

People tend to look back at Hoggard with rose tinted glasses. Granted he would run in all day and bowl his heart out, but people tend to forget that the same criticism that is often leveled at Anderson was frequently aimed at Hoggard for at least 5 out of his 7 year career. With regards to Hoggard when the ball was swinging, he was good, though he really wasnt anything special to stand up and applaud, he swung it out of the hand in general and was much slower than Anderson.

 

[Uppercut]

Difficult question to answer- are we comparing them both at their peaks? Or over their whole careers? The former would be Jimmeh by too far to be a remotely reasonable comparison, surely. And the latter is a bit unfair since one has effectively finished his career and another hasn't.

 

[Uppercut]

With regards to Hoggard when the ball was swinging, he was good, though he really wasnt anything special to stand up and applaud, he swung it out of the hand in general and was much slower than Anderson.

Could say the same of Mohammad Asif though, and he's a full level above either regardless.

 

[tooextracool]

Mohammed Asif is a completely different bowler. I don't think I have ever seen anyone extract the kind of movement that he gets off the pitch. I know the commentators put that down to him having long fingers and what not, but it is still pretty crazy especially for someone who's on the closer side to 6'0.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Biased and will always go for Hoggy over Jimmy,not just in swinging conditions but all conditions.Just wish Jimmy was half as good as Hoggy when it wasn't bending round corners.

 

[zaremba]

Reckon that's well harsh on Hoggy; only swung it the one way, but was lethal on more than one occasion when conditions suited.

This.

Hoggy's 7-wicket haul in (?) Christchurch was pretty much as good as swing bowling gets. In fact I think Hadlee described it as the best spell of outswing bowling he'd ever seen.

It's true though that Anderson in helpful conditions is a monstrous proposition.

 

[Kylez]

Hoggard, always liked his bowling.

 

[morgieb]

For the actual question, probably Anderson.

Think it would be Hoggard overall, though.

 

[fredfertang]

Although it pains me to say it I'm going for Hoggy on this one - never gives short of 100% and can be lethal - the Burnley Express on the other hand, while he can look like the Aston Martin of the pace bowling world, does sometimes let his head drop and on those days he can be more like a Trabant

 

[superkingdave]

Over their careers Hoggard is miles better. But on a day like Yesterday I'd take Anderson, which is what this question is asking imo

 

[Faisal1985]

From what i have seen of Hoggard and Anderson....Anderson a touch faster which in perfect swing conditions is just too good for any batsman....

 

[aussie]

At their peaks they are even in perfect swing bowling conditons.

But Hoggard remains better overall, since he learnt to reverse swing the ball in non-swinging conditions as shown by his spells @ Nagpur & Adelaide 2006.

 

[sledger]

Over their careers Hoggard is miles better. But on a day like Yesterday I'd take Anderson, which is what this question is asking imo

Same here.

 

[FBU]

I would say Hoggard was better overseas. Anderson isn't the finished article and should reach his peak in a couple of years

Tests played in England

33 Tests 1151.1 overs 136 wickets at 27.13 econ 3.20 s/r 50.7 - Anderson
33 Tests 1115.3 overs 122 wickets at 30.73 econ 3.36 s/r 54.8 - Hoggard

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