Jack Fairs

Matthew Hoggard, the former Yorkshire and England swing bowler, has announced his retirement from cricket. The Leeds born 36 year old played 67 times for his country at Test level, taking 248 wickets at an average of 30.50.

Hoggard played for Yorkshire for 13 years between 1996 and 2009, before moving to Leicestershire for the remainder of his career. The shaggy haired right-armer will be best remembered for his exploits in the 2005 Ashes; a Test series that has come to be known as the greatest of all time. He took 16 wickets with the new ball that summer to guide England to a historic victory over Australia.

Aside from his trademark run-up, characterised by the wild bouncing shock of his blonde hair, Matthew Hoggard will be remembered for his dogged, defensive batting style. He was the most determined of night watchmen, unapologetically dull in his approach but admirable in his application.  A Test batting average of seven seems a harsh one but is ultimately a fair one too.

Hoggard intends to play out the remainder of this cricket season but what lies ahead for him beyond that is not certain. He was an extremely popular member of the England dressing room and there will almost certainly be opportunities for him to follow Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff into the world of broadcasting. One thing is for sure though, after his disappointing showing on Celebrity Masterchef, his future won’t lie in a professional kitchen.