Hoggard shocked at exit

Former England bowler told his contract would not be renewed

Last updated: 13th October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Hoggard shocked at exit

Hoggard: Released by Yorkshire

I wanted to commit the rest of my career to the club and I would have relished the thought of captaincy... Now I have effectively been sacked and I'm not even going to play for Yorkshire again, which makes me incredibly sad.

Matthew Hoggard
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Former England bowler Matthew Hoggard has admitted Yorkshire's decision not to renew his contract has left him "shocked and bitterly disappointed".

Hoggard had finished the current campaign as the club's leading wicket-taker in the LV County Championship with 43 victims and had been in talks about captaining the side in 2010.

However the 32-year-old, whose last Test appearance came against New Zealand in March 2008, is now looking for a new club after Yorkshire told him he would not be offered a new deal.

And Hoggard, who has spent 15 years at Headingley and took 331 wickets in 102 first class matches for the county, has been left devastated by the decision.

Hoggard told The Times: "I'm shocked and bitterly disappointed. I think I've been loyal to Yorkshire.

Sad

"I wanted to commit the rest of my career to the club and I would have relished the thought of captaincy, which I had discussed with (chairman) Colin Graves and (director of cricket) Martyn Moxon.

"Now I have effectively been sacked and I'm not even going to play for Yorkshire again, which makes me incredibly sad.

"What really upsets me is that I wasn't given the chance in my final game to say goodbye to the Yorkshire supporters, who have been so good to me over the years.

"Other players who knew they weren't going to be around next year were given a handshake and a send-off in front of the fans.

"All I got after 15 years at the club was a cup of coffee in the chief executive's office."

Comments (21)

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John Davis says...

Being an Australian, I loved watching Hoggard both on and off the field when england toured last. He put his heart and soul into a series which did not turn out the way England would have liked, and I am sure he did the same for Yorkshire in his 15 years. To drop an in form player, and have discussions about captaincy just weeks prior is a disgrace. Hoggard - Yorkshire don't deserve you, find a club that gives you the respect you deserve and get yourself down to Aus for 2010/2011.

Posted 02:47 13th October 2009

Ashraf Arendse says...

I believe cricket is being run by idiots and money! Mathew you'll be more than respected and feared as a cricketer in South Africa!

Posted 22:37 12th October 2009

Craig Ryan says...

Come to Lancs Hoggy. We could do with bolstering our bowling attack.

Posted 21:43 12th October 2009

Graham Beardshall says...

Matthew has again been stabbed in the back. He not only should been offered another contract with Yorkshire, but should never have been left out of the England side. Because whilst he was still playing forEngland at least we had a bowler who worried any team he played against. This young man allways gives 100% Good luck Matthew in all you do. And thanks for all the enjoyment you have given us.

Posted 19:25 12th October 2009

Scott Loveridge says...

Gough came to Essex and did well for us after leaving Yorkshire, hopefully Hoggard will do the same. A man of his talent and experience will fit in brilliantly at Chelmsford, Matthew Hoggard, come on down!

Posted 17:38 12th October 2009

Chris Brown says...

Sad news but i hope durham offer him a chance as durham are a great county for fast bowlers....harmison, plunkett, onions

Posted 17:02 12th October 2009

Junaid Fiaz says...

its really bad decission made by club.i think club is run by un-professional authorities who don,t know how to treat a star.he is a great swing bowler.no doubt in his abilities. looks shooking decission to me

Posted 15:38 12th October 2009

Mick Mick says...

Clearly the decision not to offer Hoggard a contract is so the County can take the full financial advantages on offer for fielding younger players! Surely this is employment discrimination!!!

Posted 15:25 12th October 2009

Shine N says...

This club is being run by bunch of jokers who dont show any sense before taking any decision.

Posted 13:29 12th October 2009

Garry Marlow says...

Yorkshire have been treating cricketers shabbily since time began. In recent times you have only got to look at the exodus of bowlers such as Gough, Silverwood, Ryan Sidebottom, not to mention the batters. At one time Yorkshire possessed England's bowling attack, thanks in large part to bowling coach Arnie Sidebottom. Alas he was treated badly and shipped out, so where are the fast bowlers coming through today??

Posted 12:49 12th October 2009

Mike Bradley says...

This is devastating. Absolutely gutting. I'm a Yorkshire lad, al-be-it in exile and this is shocking news. YCCC explain yourself. How can you do this to such a great servant. And after the hat-trick which won us the all important game at Sussex?

Posted 12:21 12th October 2009

Jonny Hill says...

well have you down at the bears hoggy!!! we need a strike bowler :)

Posted 11:37 12th October 2009

Akin Wumi says...

This is a terrible way to treat a player after 15years of loyal service. If he was still playing actively for England,the club mgt. would have been falling over each other to renew his contract. He was the leading wicket taker for his club this year and despite that still told to go. So much for performance. Even the Aussies were never this bad in axing old players

Posted 11:23 12th October 2009

Jefferson King says...

I cannot believe what Yorkshire have done to the man who's hatrick saved them from demotion only weeks ago. Surely there is a place for him in a team lacking experience.

Posted 09:54 12th October 2009

Robbie Robinson says...

I think that Yorkshire should be ashamed of themselves. This is no way to treat a loyal servant to the game of cricket. Hopefully Hoggy will be picked up by another County and show them they were wrong. Good luck mate!

Posted 09:49 12th October 2009

Stan Turner says...

Harsh maybe but Yorks & all counties must loook to the future & at 32 Hoggard for a seam bowler is at the end of his playing days. Am surpried only 102 games in 15 years that is less than half the Yorks games England duties to blame I expect. Looks like could have been handled better ' a loyal servant' should have been allowed to say 'goodbye' to the Yorks supporters. It would seem unlikely that anything changed after the season finished for Yorks to decide 'Hoggie' was not needed. Perhaps contracts for next season should be settled before the end of the current one at least players would know where they stood.Yorks rightly will get some stick from its own supporters about how this has been handled

Posted 09:48 12th October 2009

Ray Dean says...

Typical of the management of clubs nowadays,run by fools and idiots,with more brains in their backside than in their head.They should hang their heads in shame at the disgusting way they treated a loyal player.

Posted 09:44 12th October 2009

Sue Chadwick says...

I think it is an absolute disgrace!!! To treat Matthew like this after all the years he has given to his home county club is nothing short of disgusting. You cannot treat people like this it's not fair. My heart goes out to Matthew he must feel so sad like he's been stabbed in the back. He is such a wonderful man and I would love to see him at lancashire. I hope he does find a club who respect him and treat him in the way he deserves.

Posted 09:39 12th October 2009

Helen Rawson says...

I feel shocked and saddened by this too. What an awful way to treat a great servant of English and Yorkshire cricket. Matthew was a joy to watch on the field, a real competitor and a real gentleman. He had a great sense of fun and I loved watching him march back to his mark. Yorkshire have been lucky to have him and should have treated him with far more respect and consideration. The members should be livid.

Posted 09:33 12th October 2009

Alex Brough says...

Disgusting treatment of one of Yorkshire's greatest ever bowlers. Move on Hoggy, work hard at a new challenge and get yourself back into the test side. We miss your deadly inswingers to the left hander!

Posted 09:33 12th October 2009
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