Hoggy: Welcome to My World

Hoggy: Welcome to My World
Matthew Hoggard

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.

HOGGY

Welcome to My World

Dedication (#ulink_c91cefa2-14f2-5b12-893f-c970f80b93a8)

To Sarah and Ernie My strength and salvation

What you’ll find inside …

Title Page (#u9c16bd96-9345-582f-b570-57b6c8eb99a6)

Dedication (#ud2be6c59-58ca-5b65-ab91-61c836546454)

Fore (#ueafe71c7-1249-539c-830b-bbf46e4af5b9)Paw-word (#ueafe71c7-1249-539c-830b-bbf46e4af5b9)

Introduction Thought I’d put this near the start (#uba522444-1640-5fba-a642-afa550a991ab)

Chapter 1 - My Family and Other Animals by Matthew ’oggard, aged 8½ (#u7216c0ab-58f8-5319-aa17-3375937c2472)

Chapter 2 - Gardens, Gags and Games A few early cricketing lessons (#ue94af202-c20f-5791-84ac-0dd597d32f40)

Chapter 3 - Wild and Free Beer and bowling in South Africa (#ubea47d9d-1ff5-56ec-9db4-58172a153a6e)

Chapter 4 - England Calling First days of national service, 2000-02 (#uad7dd94e-b548-58c7-90a3-128fee4409c4)

Chapter 5 - Meat and Three Veg What goes into a fast bowler’s belly … (#u7d0d576b-e8d4-578d-924d-af9389c9474a)

Chapter 6 - Touring and Toiling A series of reality checks with England, 2002-03 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 7 - Physical Jerks The pains and strains of keeping fit (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 - Getting Better All the Time The winning streak and the awesome foursome, 2004-05 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 - Mind Games The stuff that goes on in my head when I’m bowling (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 - Time to Produce The biggest series ever and other more important things, summer 2005 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 - Drinking for England We do like the occasional pint, you know (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 - Swinging the Balance Life goes on after the Ashes, 2005-06 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 - A Word from the Wife Sarah’s view from the girls’ gallery (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 - Nightwatchman’s Tales My life as England’s sacrificial lamb (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 - Squashed by the Big Fat Lad The Ashes comedown, 2006-07 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 - Press-ganged My fun and games with the British media (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 - It’s all Gone Haywire Some very high highs and very low lows, 2007-08 (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)Hog (#litres_trial_promo)

What next? (#litres_trial_promo)

Index (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo)

Hoggy Stats (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

‘He’s just a bit silly. He rings you up and leaves daft messages and silly noises on your phone. It’s just madness. He’s a good lad though.’

Ashley Giles

‘He gives you it straight. If he thinks you’re a pillock, he’ll tell you. He won’t ask for anything that he wouldn’t do himself, that’s the way he is. Hoggy is Hoggy.’

David Byas, former Yorkshire captain

Fore (#ulink_3bf7ef84-089f-5eda-87e5-e07da8b51a5f)Paw-word (#ulink_3bf7ef84-089f-5eda-87e5-e07da8b51a5f)

By the HOGGY DOGGIES, BILLY the Doberman and MOLLY the Border Collie

BILLY: So what’s all this about, then?

MOLLY: Apparently, this is the bit of a book where important people or animals are asked to say nice things about the bloke on the front cover.

BILLY: About him? Why I should say nice things about him? All he ever does is shout at me.

MOLLY: That’s because you play too rough half the time, Billy, and you don’t do as you’re told.

BILLY: Whenever I try to play with you, you don’t give me the time of day. You can be a cantankerous old bitch sometimes.

MOLLY: You forget that I’m an old lady. If I was five years younger, I’d still be able to run rings round you.

BILLY: Like to see you try. Anyway, I still don’t see why I should be so nice about the bloke. What does he ever do for us?

MOLLY: He takes us for lots of long walks.

BILLY: I’ll give him that.