Monday, June 11, 2007

Hoggard returns to England squad

England have called up Matthew Hoggard to replace out-of-sorts Durham seamer Liam Plunkett in their 12-man squad for the fourth Test against West Indies.

The Yorkshire paceman has been missing from the team since suffering a groin injury in the first Test at Lord's.

He will play at the Riverside on Friday if he can prove his fitness in his county's FP Trophy match on Wednesday.

"If he is fully fit, he will replace Liam Plunkett in our line-up," said chairman of selectors David Graveney.

Plunkett, who endured an indifferent winter in Australia and the Caribbean, has struggled for consistency throughout the West Indies series.

And he did not bowl at all on Monday as England sought to bowl out the tourists and clinch the series.


He's a man for the future, without a shadow of a doubt

Peter Moores on Plunkett


Former Test captain Alec Stewart and BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew have both said that the 22-year-old needs a spell in county cricket to rebuild his confidence.

"With Matthew we get a slightly more experienced performer and it's a chance to get more consistency in that bowling," coach Peter Moores said.

"We want Liam to go back to Durham and keep honing those skills. He's a man for the future, without a shadow of a doubt, because not only does he bowl at a good pace and make it swing he also bats.

"He's only 22 and Test cricket's a harsh place to ply your trade."


James Anderson has been put on standby and is due to play for his county Lancashire on Wednesday.

England bowling coach Allan Donald is due to fly home to South Africa following the death of his father in Bloemfontein.

He hopes to return to link up with the England team before the final Test gets under way at Chester-le-Street.

England squad for fourth Test at the Riverside:

Michael Vaughan (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Stephen Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior (wkt), Monty Panesar, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss.

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