Ricky Ponting said before the Adelaide test that Brad Hogg was the best spinner in the country. This is the same Ponting also relegated Hogg to the sidelines in the heat of the Sydney test, preferring part-timers Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke to save the day.So which version are you going to believe?
The protection of Hogg during a poor series, while Shaun Tait was left to twist in the wind after his Perth malaise, is staggering.
Ponting showed in Melbourne that his faith in Hogg is questionable, given his preference for Symonds over the specialist spinner on day one. Australia won the test so Hogg got off lightly.
In Sydney, Hogg was almost impotent near the finish, a time where a spinner is supposed to shine. Then all hell broke lose and nobody bothered to dissect the match.
On day one in Adelaide, the spinner was treated to a now familiar disrespect by the batsmen. Then Gilly went and dropped a sitter, meaning Hogg missed the spotlight again.
Yes, Gilchrist. A year ago he was one ball shy of the fastest century in test history. Now, he’s a geriatric not worth his place, apparently.
His Laxman miss yesterday was poor. Looked old. The three missed chances in the Sydney test were worse. Ian Healy says Gilly is in a ‘form slump’. That’s as good a judge as any. Surely when someone has 96 tests of quality behind them, they should be given every possible chance to prove it is indeed a form slump, nothing more permanent.
Here’s another question: Brad Haddin is clearly the next in line, but is he any better?
It seems the knives are out for a legend, while a bit player with a bowling average above 50 is treated with kid gloves.
Something is not right.
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