Michael Hogan eyes Sheffield Shield glory

THE season that was never meant to be is shaping as Newcastle fast bowler Michael Hogan’s best chance to win a Sheffield Shield cricket final.

With two preliminary rounds left, Hogan and his West Australian teammates are on top of the  ladder, joint leaders with South Australia on 26 points but with a superior quotient.

They are two points ahead of NSW, whom they beat outright at the WACA Ground last week, and can seal home-ground advantage by winning their remaining games against Queensland at the Gabba and the Blues at Manuka Oval.

Hogan, the former Merewether quick, said the Warriors ‘‘have been in this position a couple of times in the last few years’’ and would not be taking anything for granted.

But he could not remember feeling more confident about bringing the Shield west for the first time since 1998-99.

‘‘I think we’ve got a side that can go a long way towards winning it,’’ Hogan told the Newcastle Herald yesterday.

‘‘It probably is our best chance. It’d be the best side I’ve played in over the five years I’ve been here.

‘‘Collectively, we’ve got three guys in the top10 runscorers and two guys in the top five wicket-takers.

‘‘Obviously we’ve been performing, and that shows on the table at the moment. Hopefully we can keep it going, because we’ve worked bloody hard to get to this point.’’

Hogan will join a rare club if the Warriors are good enough to collect the most coveted prize in Australian domestic cricket.

The only Novocastrians to have won Sheffield Shield finals are former Cardiff-Boolaroo quick Adam Maher (with Tasmania in 2010-11) and leg-spinning legend Robert ‘‘Dutchy Holland (with NSW in 1984-85).

Hogan played a crucial, albeit unexpected, role in WA’s success this season.

The 32-year-old thought he had played his final game for his adopted state last season, after he signed with English county side Glamorgan on a United Kingdom passport.

But a change six months ago to rules regarding international affiliation allowed him to rejoin the Warriors, after a remarkable debut year with Glamorgan that yielded more than 100 wickets in three formats.

The right-armer continued that form Down Under. 

After seven games this season, he took 31 wickets (at 22.03) – the most by any bowler in the competition.

Hogan said any individual accolades came a distant second on his list of priorities.

‘‘It’s not really a goal,’’ he said about finishing the season as the leading Shield wicket-taker. It would be nice but the main thing is just to do my job for the team and help us win games.’’

Contracted to Glamorgan for  the next three years, Hogan said his chances of continuing with the Warriors next season would depend on ‘‘how the body is feeling’’ after the English summer.

 ‘‘Obviously I didn’t play in the Big Bash League, so that was a good break, and [Warriors coach] Justin Langer has been really good about letting me have certain rest periods,’’ he said.

The leading first-class wicket-taker in the world last season, Hogan accepts that he will probably never appear on the international stage.

‘‘I don’t think I qualify for either country now,’’ he said.

‘‘Moving to the UK, I think I need to be there for three years to qualify for England.

‘‘In doing that, playing as a UK local, it rules me out of playing for Australia.

‘‘So I’m sort of no-nation at the moment, ineligible … but I’m happy. It’s enjoyable to play cricket 12 months of the year – realistically I’m 33 soon so I’m probably past the point of national selection.’’