As he did to Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower in the 2003 ODI World Cup, the ageless George Bradley Hogg has once again let rip the most bamboozling of flippers.
After another tap on the shoulder from Perth Scorchers coach and long-time friend Justin Langer, the crafty left-arm chinaman bowler from the west has said goodbye to his BBL side of four years running.
Instead of opting for retirement, however, the left-arm wrist-spinner has signed a deal with the Melbourne Renegades for the BBL06 season.
It was a decision that, like his zipping and zooming flipper in the Zimbabwean city of Buwayo 13 years ago, has stunned the cricketing masses.
Although a surprise, the move really is a win for all involved.
Straight off the bat there’s the Scorchers.
They boast arguably the most enviable depth of young talent in the BBL in spin-bowling stocks, given the names of Ashton Agar, James Muirhead and Ashton Turner.
Both Agar’s left-arm orthodox and Muirhead’s leggies have warranted the two promising talents Australian selection in the past, Agar in all three formats and Muirhead in T20s.
Turner, on the other hand, is similarly a bright spinning prospect for Australia’s future. He’s not a huge wicket-taker, although his uncanny ability to really dry up the runs makes him a strong candidate for future appearances in the shorter formats.
The 23-year-old only bagged four wickets in the most recent BBL season, however laid claim to the lowest average in the competition with 10.00 and a tidy economy of 5.71 from ten matches.
From the moment Hoggy came out of retirement in 2012 to join the men in orange and black, he was a world-class package, with his crafty spin, liveliness in the field, and handy hitting in the lower order.
So hot was Hogg’s form in the BBL that it led to his shock selection in Australia’s 2014 T20 World Cup squad at the age of 43.
In all four seasons for Perth, Hoggy was the Scorcher’s primary spinner and often the go-to man for a breakthrough wicket in a pack boasting the likes of classy spearheads Yassir Arafat, Jason Behrendorff and Andrew Tye.
Hoggy also offered the Scorchers so much that cannot be measured, with a passion for the game that would bring the best out of teammates and a personality that alone must have attracted masses of fans and a wealth of memberships for the franchise.
Despite all he offered, however, it might well be that Perth are winners in Hoggy’s move to the Renegades, as it will provide Agar, Muirhead and Turner with a greater opportunity for game time, and thus further development.
Unlike Perth, the Renegades are not spoilt for choice in the spinning department, with left-arm orthodox bowler Xavier Doherty the only genuine spinning option.
The Australian selectors have been patient with Doherty in the shorter formats, however the Tasmanian has failed to deliver. From 60 ODIs he has amassed just 55 wickets at an economy of 4.77. He has likewise averaged less than a wicket a match in his 11 T20s, taking just ten at an economy of 7.89. Neither in wicket-taking nor run-saving has he been of great value.
The coming of age of leg-spinner Adam Zampa has ended hopes of a return to the international scene for the 33-year-old Doherty.
So in that regard, there is no loss in Hogg stealing the limelight from Doherty when he swaps orange and black for red and black. They are both now long in the tooth, and despite being ten years older, Hoggy is playing the better cricket.
The other way in which the move has come as a win for the Renegades is that they can do with the signing of a big personality given the departure of cavalier opener Chris Gayle.
Hoggy is just that, given his booming grin, vivacious wicket celebrations, and strong relationship with fans and the media.
The knights of the BBL round table must all be licking their lips too, as the competition is a brighter spectacle with this ageless cricketer on stage. It is the star players like Hogg who draw the crowds and memberships and lead the young ones to trying their hands at Milo cricket.
Being handed another chance at another franchise at the age of 45, on what must be a hefty paycheque, also makes the veteran spinner a big winner in his move to Melbourne.
Hogg has made it clear since signing with the Renegades that he didn’t enjoy retiring in 2008, and that he wants to keep turning in season after season in the BBL for as long as his body can handle.
As is the case for Brent Harvey in the AFL, when Hoggy will retire for good is not known – he may even raise his bat for the half century.
For now, raise a glass and say cheers, because this Renegades signature is a win for all involved.
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