AOC contributor Nick Teale took a trip to Aigburth to cast his beady eye over Lancashire’s in-form paceman Kyle Hogg during the Red Rose’s top-of-the-table clash with Durham.
It’s coming to the end of day two in the crucial County Championship fixture at Liverpool as the country’s top two sides go head-to-head in what could prove to be a decisive match come the end of the season.
Having been bowled out for 84 in their first-innings, Lancashire have battled hard in the second dig to set Durham 181 to win. A home victory still looks unlikely as Will Smith and Michael Di Venuto stroll out to the middle to face the final 10 overs of the day, but by stumps a thrilling climax has been set up thanks to Lancashire’s somewhat unexpected leading light this season.
Kyle Hogg dismisses Di Venuto and Gordon Muchall – both lbw – to help reduce Durham to 27-3 and the 27-year-old’s five-over spell has a packed-out Aigburth crowd fixated and the visitors stunned. The Lancashire faithful are ultimately left to rue their first-innings collapse as the visitors seal a five-wicket win the following day thanks to Dale Benkenstein’s unbeaten half-century, but Hogg has once again impressed in what has proved to be his best season to date since making his first-class debut 10 years ago.
The right-arm paceman barely bowled a bad ball in the second innings, regularly beating the bat, having Paul Collingwood dropped by Paul Horton in the slips and being denied several decent lbw shouts. On another day Hogg could have been Durham’s downfall.
A former England under-19 international, Hogg was tipped for a place in the senior side when he first became a Championship regular in 2002 but a succession of injuries have hampered his progress. The Birmingham-born seamer is not as quick as his Lancs teammate Saj Mahmood and relies on accuracy and just enough sideways movement to snare his victims – and there have been plenty of them this season.
Injured during pre-season, Hogg would have been forgiven for thinking this was going to be another frustrating summer but he returned to Championship action at the end of May and promptly took 7-28 and 4-31 at The Rose Bowl to inspire his side to a 10-wicket victory. He has gone on to take 24 Championship wickets at 15.16 apiece to date this season, placing him at the top of the averages for bowlers with at least 10 dismissals to their name. Speaking to the Lancashire members it’s evident that it has been his succession of long-term injury problems rather than any lack of ability that have hindered Hogg’s progression over the last decade.
While bowling is his stronger suit, Hogg is also a handy left-hand batsman who provides useful runs from the lower-order – averaging over 20 in first-class cricket and capable of destructive hitting in the shorter formats. At 27, Hogg still has time on his side to make an impression on the England selectors and if he can continue his rich vein of form, a place on the Lions tour this winter is a distinct possibility.
