|
Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Kandy, 5th day
Hoggard 'looking doubtful' for second Test
Andrew Miller in Kandy
December 5, 2007
|
Matthew Hoggard batted on the fifth day, and was last man out when he was bowled by Lasith Malinga, but was clearly in pain
© Getty Images
|
|
England's captain, Michael Vaughan, has conceded that Matthew
Hoggard's prospects of playing in Sunday's second Test at Colombo are
slim, after he was forced to leave the field on the fourth day at
Kandy with a recurrence of the back problems that ruled him out of
England's Test series against India in July.
Though Hoggard batted during the closing stages of England's 88-run
defeat in the first Test, he was clearly in pain, and had to receive
treatment from the physio shortly before he was bowled by Lasith
Malinga to wrap up the match. Up until then, he had been England's
outstanding bowler with six wickets in the match, including 4 for 29
in the first innings.
"He's looking doubtful at this stage," said Vaughan after the match.
"As we saw when he was batting he's not moving that well, so we're
going to have to monitor him over the next few days. He's got to be a
doubt for the next Test.
"It'll be a huge blow for the team if he's ruled out," Vaughan added,
"because of what he offers with the new ball as well as the old ball,
and his experience. But if he is ruled out it gives an opportunity for
someone else to come [in]." England were scheduled to travel down to
Colombo immediately after the game, and Vaughan said that he would
continue to be assessed in the days leading up to the second Test.
According to England's coach, Peter Moores, Hoggard's back problems
had been getting progressively worse throughout the match. "It's a
facet joint that's stiff , and it's an injury he's had before," said
Moores. "It's currently being manipulated by the physio, and we'll see
if it needs anything more aggressive after that.
"It's got progressively worse as the game has gone on," said Moores.
"He [was suffering] a little bit late on in the first innings, it came
back in the second innings, and then he bowled with the second new
ball and that stiffened it up. We'll just have to see how he comes
up."
Until the Sydney Test last winter, Hoggard had been a stalwart of
England's attack for 40 consecutive matches. Since then, however, he
has been increasingly injury-prone. He withdrew midway through the
Lord's Test in May with a strained abductor muscle, and then suffered
a series of back spasms in the latter half of the season.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo
© Cricinfo
|
