Hogan top of the world after big year

MICHAEL Hogan is on top of the world.

Ten years after switching to grade cricket with Merewether from the Cricketers Arms Tavern B2 side at age 22, Hogan can lay claim to being the best first-class bowler on the planet after a memorable 2013.

The towering West Australian and Glamorgan quick has finished with 108 wickets for the calendar year – a remarkable 20 scalps clear of the next best, West Indian spinner Shane Shillingford, and 25 clear of England paceman Stuart Broad.

‘‘It’s certainly been a good year,’’ said Hogan, who is enjoying five weeks back in Newcastle during the break in the Sheffield Shield season.

‘‘It’s obviously always good when you have success, but it wasn’t something I really knew about until someone pointed it out to me in WA a couple of weeks ago.

The world-beating performance has been an outstanding display of skill and endurance.

The 32-year-old played 24 first-class matches and bowled 851.4 overs, which was second only to former New Zealand Test off-spinner Jeetan Patel among the top wicket-takers.

And the right-arm paceman did it all with a superb average of 21.12, putting him easily on top of a long list of former and current Test players.

‘‘You play the game because you love it, but these sorts of things are something I suppose you can hang your hat on at the end of your time,’’ Hogan said.

The honour came thanks to a stunning debut season of English county cricket with Welsh club Glamorgan. Hogan became the first Glamorgan bowler to take more than 100 wickets in a season across all competitions since fellow Australian Michael Kasprowicz in 2003.

Among the wickets were 67 in the first-class arena, which combined with 21 so far this season with the Warriors and 20 in a great finish to the previous campaign with WA. The effort in England gave Hogan player of the year honours with Glamorgan and a new three-year deal.

However, Hogan’s amazing 2013 almost never was.

Rules on import players meant Hogan, who has English-born parents, would not be able to return to the Warriors after signing with Glamorgan as a ‘local’ player. The laws were later changed, opening the door for a return to the Warriors.

And after the rewards of 2013, Hogan is keen to stay on a roll as long as possible.

‘‘I’ve found the last 12, 18months that if I stop and have breaks here and there, I tend to find it hard to start up again,’’ he said.

‘‘If I keep rolling along, I find that’s when I’m at my best. It’s been good, touch wood, I haven’t had any major injuries, just a few niggles here and there.

His success and connections to Ashes rivals England and Australia have prompted many to ask if Hogan could gain a call-up, especially for the struggling tourists.

However, it seems Hogan is a man without a country. Not that it concerns him though.

‘‘I don’t think I’m eligible for either,’’ he laughed.

‘‘I wouldn’t be able to play for England until I pass the qualifying period, which I think is four years, and because I’m now playing in Australia as an overseas player, I’m not classed as a local.

‘‘I think I’d be a long way off playing for England now but it was not something I was anticipating anyway when I made the move over there, so it’s not something I’m worried about.’’

For now Hogan is focused on quality time with family and friends in Newcastle before heading back to Perth in two weeks with wife Rachel and their son Buddy to prepare for the resumption of the Shield season after the nine-week break for the T20 Big Bash League.

Hogan played with the Hobart Hurricanes last BBL season but did not nominate this time around.

‘‘This would be the longest amount of time I’ve spent back in Newcastle in the last five years, so we thought we’d spend some family time,’’ Hogan said.