Home Sports Ponting insists on playing Hogg in Boxing Day Test

Ponting insists on playing Hogg in Boxing Day Test

By IANS

Melbourne : When most people feel Brad Hogg may not make an impression on the Indian players, Australia captain Ricky Ponting is apparently bent upon going into the Boxing Day (Dec 26) Test with the 36-year-old left-arm spinner.

Ponting, who has been telling teammates he’ll quit after the 2011 World Cup, will be granted his wish unless the relentlessly wet weather in Melbourne makes MCG curator Tony Ware unable to produce anything other than a vicious green top. And even then Ponting will tell selection chairman Andrew Hilditch he still wants wrist spinner Hogg to complement a three-man pace attack.

The Western Australian has played just four Tests without much to show for them: nine wickets at the unflattering average of 50.22. His rise into the Test side in place of the injured Stuart MacGill has been based largely on his exploits in the limited-overs arena, where he’s tasted success against India, but the beauty of Test cricket is that it’s nothing like a one-dayer.

Hogg is totally and completely unproven at the longer form of the game. It was only two seasons ago that he wasn’t able to make Western Australia’s Pura Cup side.

Darren Lehmann, who dominated Hogg with 167 for South Australia against WA in a Pura Cup match last month, said the problem for Hogg in longer matches was having less protection in terms of field placements. Ponting can put a ring of fielders on the fence in one-day games, ensuring most of Hogg’s errant deliveries are cut off before the fence, but his Test fields will be far more attacking.

“He should be fine,” Lehmann said of Hogg. “His record in one-day cricket makes him one of the best in the world there, but he can have the field out in one-dayers, so there’s less pressure on him in a way. Any loose stuff isn’t punished as much but he won’t have that in the Test, you wouldn’t think. It doesn’t look like the Indians can pick him, so that’s in his favour. The big thing for him will be being patient. The only problem I can see is in the different field settings.”

Hogg will shuffle in, bowl, get back to his mark at warp speed and bowl again. He likes to play fast. He does everything fast.

But the Indians will make him wait, disrupting his rhythm. Without having to worry about run rates, they will be able to bide their time until receiving what they’re convinced will be a flurry of loose deliveries the longer his spells go on.

Hogg’s inclusion will leave Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson vying for the last fast-bowling berth with Brett Lee and Stuart Clark.

The MCG has been flooded over the past few days and only a continuation of the Old Testament-like weather – and a nightmare pitch – will make selectors even remotely consider a four-pronged pace attack.

“It’s a tough one,” retired Test speedster Glenn McGrath said.

“If you went that way, Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds can bowl spin, and I’m sure Ricky would argue he can bowl handy off-spin. In saying all that, I’m sitting on the fence because I also think Brad Hogg deserves to be there.

“I’ve got a lot of time for Hoggy – I respect him a lot. Apart from being a good bowler, he’s a handy batsman and gives a lot to the team in the field. He’s got so much energy he borders on being a pain in the neck.”