Matthew Hoggard

[Richard]

Oh yeah, but Anderson played there and in NZ in 2008 and was diabolical. I presumed we were comparing summer-to-summer, in-England-to-in-England.

And Hoggard of 2007 really didn't get any chance and I think had he done so he'd have excelled, thus putting paid to any idea that he declined after the Second Test against SL in 2006.

 

[GIMH]

He wasn't great in the summer of 06 either

 

[Richard]

He bowled perfectly OK IMO - got conditions to his liking for some of the time, didn't others; went well when conditions suited; didn't when they didn't. Same as ever really.

As I say - in the very, very friendly conditions of summer '07, I'd have backed him to have done extremely well, far better than Anderson or Tremlett, even though Tremlett was decent and Anderson managed 1 good spell in 6.

 

[GIMH]

I thought him to be quite inoccuous throughout the home season in 06 tbhh.

 

[Richard]

Hoggard was excellent in the favourable conditions at Lord's (was obviously disguised to some extent by the 8289573 or so catches that went down off his bowling that game, but his figures were still decent) and Edgbaston, and also bowled really well for about 5 overs at Trent Bridge before losing his rhythm completely and bowling poorly for the rest of the game.

By the time the sun had come out in the Pakistan series he was barely getting any seam or swing and as per usual under such circumstances he was innocuous. But he'd started really well.

 

[Uppercut]

Played in Sri Lanka as well itbt

Got the team off to an absolute flier on that tour IIRC. Then got injured.

 

[Richard]

Yeah, bowled absolutely beautifully with the new-ball in the opening session of that series. Didn't do all that much thereafter but that was about as devastating a demonstration of how to use the new-ball in the subcontinent as you could wish for.