Matthew Hoggard shown the door by Yorkshire by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:

MJ Hoggard

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DateLine: 14th October 2009

 

Matthew Hoggard's career at Yorkshire ended in acrimony with the county and the former England seamer trading accusations over events that led to his departure.

 

Hoggard, who was Yorkshire's leading wicket-taker in the recently completed 2009 County Championship, revealed in The Times that he had not been offered a contract for next year, despite recently discussing the possibility of taking over the captaincy of the club.

 

Describing himself as "shocked and bitterly disappointed," Hoggard suggested the county had failed to match his loyalty.

 

That prompted Yorkshire to issue a statement which claimed Hoggard had, earlier this year, turned down a contract that could have kept him at the county until the end of the 2011 season.

 

"An extremely competitive two-year contract, with the option of a third year based on performance, was offered to Matthew Hoggard at the beginning of the season; a deal that would have retained his position as one of the highest earners at the county," the statement said.

 

"Matthew turned that contract offer down as he wanted a higher salary and a longer contract."

 

Hoggard claimed he never had any intention of leaving the county.

 

"I think I've been loyal to Yorkshire," he said. "I wanted to commit the rest of my career to the club and I would have relished the thought of captaincy, which I had discussed with (chairman) Colin Graves and (director of cricket) Martyn Moxon.

 

"Now I have effectively been sacked and I'm not even going to play for Yorkshire again, which makes me incredibly sad."

 

He added: "What really upsets me is that I wasn't given the chance in my final game to say goodbye to the Yorkshire supporters, who have been so good to me over the years.

 

"Other players who knew they weren't going to be around next year were given a handshake and a send-off in front of the fans.

 

"All I got after 15 years at the club was a cup of coffee in the chief executive's office."

 

Yorkshire said they had axed Hoggard on financial grounds, partly as a result of the introduction, from next year, of incentive payments from the England and Wales Cricket Board designed to encourage the development of younger players.

 

Under the scheme, counties will be eligible for payouts for matches in which they field two under-22 and three under-26 players.

 

Hoggard, who last played for England in New Zealand in March 2008, intends to find another county.

 

"I was looking forward to using my experience to bring on the next generation of Yorkshire bowlers, but I'll have to do that somewhere else now.

 

"I still feel as though I've got a good few years in me and it's up to me now to prove that Yorkshire were wrong to let me go."