Rodney Hogg

Rodney Malcolm Hogg (born 5 March 1951) is an Australian former cricketer.

He was a fast bowler.

He made his grade cricket debut for Northcote in 1967–68, where his teammates included Gary Cosier.

That summer he continued to bat in the middle order and his average was 71.

In 1968-69 he played for a combined Melbourne High Schools team against Melbourne Public Schools opening the bowling.

An Age article in December 1969 called him "a consistent wicket taker with the new ball."

By February 1970 Hogg was in the Victorian state squad.

That month he was ordered to stop bowling in a game against North Melbourne after running on the pitch.

Hogg played for Victorian Colts in 1971-72 and 1972–73.

In 1971-72 he took part in a 134 run partnership with Northcote captain Bill Lawry in a game against Richmond.

Hogg was never able to break into the Victorian side.

There were a number of reasons for this including erratic form, a back injury, and being drafted into the army when he was twenty (where he worked as a dental assistant).

In December 1972 Hogg asked to be dropped down to the Northcote Seconds due to poor form.

"His attitude has had the club concerned," wrote The Age.

Hogg had to withdraw from the Victorian Colts team in December 1974 because he was unable to get leave from his job.

In September 1974 he was named in the state squad and received more votes than any other Northcote player at the VCA Ryder medal but suffered from injury and was not picked in the state side.

Gary Cosier who had played with Hogg at Northcote had enjoyed a successful career in South Australia and in March 1975 Hogg announced he would leave to Adelaide.

"I just can't crack it here so I've decided to give it a bash in South Australia," said Hogg.

"I think the change will improve my bowling. I was a bit immature early but I'll eat humble pie and start afresh in Adelaide."

By that stage he had played around 70 games for Northcote over eight seasons.

Hogg joined Cosier's club of Prospect.

He was eventually selected in the state side and made his first class debut that summer, taking seven wickets against Victoria.

South Australia won the Sheffield Shield that season, although Hogg's contribution was relatively minimal.

Hogg missed the 1976-77 season due to an ankle injury and poor form.

Loss of players to World Series Cricket in 1977–78 saw Hogg mentioned as a possible test prospect that summer despite his lack of experience.

He was unable to force his way into the test side – Jeff Thomson, Wayne Clark, Ian Callen and Alan Hurst were the preferred fast bowlers – but he did take 36 first class wickets at an average of 27 over the summer, including 10–124 for South Australia against Queensland.

Hogg played in 38 Test matches and 71 One Day Internationals between 1978 and 1985.

In Tests he took 123 wickets at an average of 28.47.

He is best remembered for taking 41 wickets in his first six tests during the 1978–79 Ashes.

Hogg was born in Melbourne and grew up in the suburb of Thornbury.

An only child, his father was a primary school teacher who encouraged Hogg's interest in cricket.

Hogg had asthma as a child and battled it through his career.

Hogg attended Northcote State School.

He started out as a batsman, once representing Victoria's Under-14 side against Queensland, before switching to be an aggressive fast bowler.

At the beginning of the 1978–79 summer, a fast bowling spot opened up in the Australian side when Jeff Thomson told selectors he would no longer be available for international matches.

Hogg took 4–43 for South Australia against the touring English team and leapt into test contention.

He was duly picked in the first test.

His first class statistics at that stage were 54 wickets at 20.

Hogg's selection was almost immediately in jeopardy when, in a Shield game against NSW, he had to minimise the amount of bowling due to stomach cramps and an asthma attack.

However he recovered to take 5–73.