Matthew Hoggard has taken 248 test wickets in his career. He is one of the best swing bowlers that England have had in recent years and you just know that he will run in and bowl all day long for his country.
Despite this though, he is yet to get a look in for England since being dropped from the side in New Zealand just over a year ago. This is something that he is extremely unhappy about and you can understand why.
Steve Harmison – who has had his commitment questioned a number of times – was dropped at the same time as Hoggard and keeps getting opportunities to shine in England colours. Why then, has Hoggard not got anything like the same treatment?
Speaking about his situation, the Yorkshire bowler said that he has had no contact with the ECB whatsoever about not being included in the England performance squad for the summer. For someone who has given so much for his country, this seems unacceptable to me.
When Hoggard was dropped, it was fair enough. He wasn’t himself in New Zealand and didn’t produce half of the threat that he had in previous years, including the 2005 Ashes series.
However, this dip in performance was partly due to not being in the right state mentally. His wife was suffering with post-natal depression and his mind wasn’t in the game. He even said that at one stage, he felt as though he ‘wanted to cry’.
Since this moment though, he hasn’t even been mentioned for England. Hoggard lost his central contract five months later and now isn’t even part of the 30-man squad that England are going with this summer. Was this really on the back of one performance in New Zealand?
There was one moment in particular since his omission from the side that would have been perfect for his return. Last summer, Hoggard was
overlooked for the test match at Headingley (his home ground) against South Africa despite being a centrally contracted player.
Instead, Darren Pattinson was given the call and he played his part in a comfortable defeat for England. Hoggard recalls how he ‘wasn’t even offered the courtesy of an explanation’ for this decision. This just isn’t good enough in my opinion – Hoggy has been treated appallingly.
Even though it could well be too late for him now, he at least deserved an explanation. Why was someone who has given so much to the England cause completely ignored? It’s not as if the team has been winning test matches on a regular basis.
It seems a safe cricket bet to me that Hoggard is considered by many as one of the best swing bowlers England have had. He is also one of the most popular players England have ever had and he deserves more than this. Keep plugging away for Yorkshire Hoggy, we (the fans) won’t forget what you did for England.
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