| Player: | GB Hogg |
DateLine: 19th February 2007
From the comforts of the pavilion or the living room it would appear that Brad Hogg’s bowling is the easiest to play in the world. But the batsman out there in the middle is uncomfortably aware of the manifold skills of the `grinning assassin’. Indeed Hogg seems to be always smiling as he cheers himself and his side on in the manner of the perfect team man. But behind that friendly façade is the brain of a scheming spin bowler who has any number of variations when it comes to turn and flight. Hogg has been Australia’s premier one-day spinner ever since Shane Warne decided to retire from the shorter version of the game and his mesmeric work more than adequately supplements the awesome pace attack. Always experimenting, always varying his flight and turn Hogg adheres however to the basics of line and length and this sometimes makes the batsman as helpless as a butterfly in a gale. Unable to differentiate Hogg’s flipper from his wrong ‘un the bat is full of edgy and miscued shots. Hogg made his Test debut against India at New Delhi in 1996 in Warne’s absence but with the legendary leg spinner and Stuart MacGill around he has barely got a look in and has played only three more Tests. But he has excelled in ODIs playing a notable role in the triumphant World Cup campaign in 2003 and shrugging off the challenge from ``new boy’’ off spinner Dan Cullen remains the best bet to don the green and gold again in the Caribbean