Product Description

The quintessential barking-mad Yorkshire cricketer, 'Hoggy's' record-breaking bowling exploits for England allied to his humorous, uniquely oddball yet hugely endearing attitude to sport and life makes this essential reading for all lovers of the game. Matthew Hoggard is the sort of character you find in war films: dependable, dog-loving, salt of the earth and very British. He is the fast bowler who would run in all day, the intelligent, committed team player on the field and the class clown of the England dressing room. He grew up wanting to be a vet, but instead became a pivotal figure in one of the most successful periods English cricket has ever known, culminating in the extraordinary Ashes victory in 2005. His stature in the game was such that he played in 40 consecutive Tests and was ranked as high as No 4 in the world's best bowlers. Much like the way he plays the game, Hoggy's book is a laid-back and eccentric, heartwarming yet totally barmy journey through cricket and beyond. If you're looking for a measured chronological account of a typical cricketer's career, then look away now. The night that Hoggy arm-wrestled the entire Sri Lankan cricket team, why Dolly Parton is underrated a s a bowling coach, who was Jack the Snipper and what was Andrew Flintoff doing up at 3am in the morning...these and other stories abound, proving there is no other current English sportsman to compare with Hoggy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2982 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

Review
Hoggard on Hoggard: 'I'm from Yorkshire. I say what I like and I like what I bloody well say. I'm not one for beating around the bush, I am not politically correct...' 'Hoggy's a man devoted to his wife, his two dogs -- and speaking his mind' The Times 'Hoggard's presence brings the sort of pleasant comfort that comes with a favourite armchair, fireside and a good book' Guardian 'He's my favourite cricketer...he's got lots of spirit and plays the game in the right way' Johnny Borrell, lead singer of Razorlight

About the Author
Matthew Hoggard was born in Pudsey, Yorkshire in December 1976. A right-arm orthodox swing bowler he plays county cricket for his home club Yorkshire and made his England Test debut in June 2000 against the West Indies. He currently stands sixth in the list of all-time England Test wicket-takers with 240 from 64 matches. He is married to wife Sarah and has a baby boy Ernie and two dogs, Billy and Molly. In 2006 he was awarded an MBE. John Westerby is a sportswriter for The Times.

Customer Reviews

Welcome to the world of Englands top underwater wood welder
Cricket, like any sport, is only a game. Bill Shankly, the Liverpool manager back in the 60's & 70's had a wonderful way with words, but he got it totally wrong when he once said that football wasn't a matter of life or death, it was much more important than that. Sport is meant to be an entertainment, a release from the pressures of everyday life. Unfortunately we seem to have forgotten that, as sports watchers treat a defeat as if it was the end of the world, and the players seem constantly dissatisfied with their lot, forgetting that they are being paid good money to play a game, something that most people would gladly do for nothing. In short, fun is going out of sport.

Thank the Lord for Matthew Hoggard then, because his autobiography is a fun book that was obviously written with a smile on his face and will almost certainly put a smile on the face of most people who will read it, although I'm not convinced it well go down that well with some of the MCC tie wearing members at Lords.

Okay it's a bit silly at times - a daft puzzle page, Hogfacts (pieces of useless information scattered throughout the book), lists (scruffiest players, angriest batsmen etc) and even contributions from his two dogs and his very young son, Ernie - but that's fine because they all add to entertainment value of the book.

Don't be mislead into thinking that it's all light hearted stuff though, because Hoggy writes very well about cricket too. His eight year International career encompassed the renaissance of English Test cricket, culminating in the Ashes victory in 2005, so he is able to give the reader a unique and insightful viewpoint about both the games played and the characters involved.

Not a classic cricket book by any means, but perfect reading to help pass time during the lunch interval or for when rain stops play.

Hoggy's book
This book,about the scraggy haired England and Yorkshire fast bowler Matthew Hoggard, is a light read and really good. I wanted to know what Hoggard thought about being dropped from the England team. I also liked this book because it's really recent. Hoggard is a really funny writer and makes up words like ridonculous.

To summmarise, this book tells you how Hoggard got into cricket, but also tells you about his personal life and not just his cricket career. I think you don't have to like cricket to read it and enjoy it. I have also reently read Marcus Trescothick's autobiography,which is also excellent because it is really detailed and honest about his life and depression, whereas the Hoggard book is more entertaing.

Cheers Hoggy
This book is what you want to read if you are a sports fan. An insight into the life of an international sportsman, his friends in sport, those he is not so keen on and his personal life.

Hoggy has been honest about 'life 'on and off' the field and written as if he was talking. Hogfacts are highly entertaining and the way he includes his wife, son and dogs as co-authors tells you in my view a lot about the man.

A must read for any sports fan.