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On the 12th October 2009 Yorkshire made an error. An error more grievous then passing wind while attending evening mass. An error more calamitous than calling you mother-in-law a word only fit to repeat in the company of soldiers. Or truckers.
They had just released Matthew Hoggard. A man born and raised under the white rose. A man who had learned and perfected his trade in the shadows of Headinlgy . And perfect it he did.
In his time at Yorkshire he took 668 wickets at an average of 27.37 and 248 test wickets at an average of 30.50. He devastated teams with his lethal combination of pace and swing, especially reverse swing. Just ask Simon Katich.
Hoggard would be an ideal signing for any other county, because he brings with him the ability to take wickets and contain batsmen, but also the experience of an Ashes winner and veteran of 67 test matches.
In a county were success has been thin on the ground in recent years, who better to call on then Hoggard when the going gets tough? A bowler who knows conditions like the back of his hand. Without Hoggard they have lost a senior member in the side in a very key area, and while there are young players coming through the ranks, they will not be the finished article within one year, and so Yorkshire's new ball attack may suffer as a consequence.
With the exception of Darren Gough, Yorkshire couldn't ask for a better player to mentor and pass down hints and tips to young swing bowlers, and so Yorkshire will have lost out not only when it comes to game time, but also in the development of the youth.
It is my belief that Yorkshire should have kept on Hoggard for another year, and extract from him wickets and, almost as importantly, knowledge. Knowledge that he could have passed down the ranks to the likes of James Lee and Steven Patterson. Or even just to stop another county getting their hands on him
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