Bush Boys Bowling Blues
Newcastle Herald
Thursday December 20, 2007
NEWCASTLE fast bowler Michael Hogan will miss the Australian Country Cricket Championships in Mackay next month as his horrible run with injury continues.
Hogan rang NSW Country Cricket chief executive John Sullivan yesterday to inform him that a rib injury had forced him to withdraw from the prestigious tournament.The 26-year-old suffered torn rib cartilage last Saturday and will only bat for club side Merewether if required when the Lions finish their Newcastle district match against Wallsend on Saturday.He will miss Sunday's Tom Locker Cup final, also against the Tigers at No.1 Sportsground, and Merewether's defence of their SCG Country Cup title in Tamworth and Gunnedah from December 28 to 30."It's rib cartilage damage and it's torn but not fully torn," Hogan said. "The physio [physiotherapist] said it will be four to six weeks but more likely six."The only thing I can do is have a bit of an ultrasound on it, but they can't manipulate it so there's nothing I can do to speed it up."Hogan is not only Merewether and Newcastle's leading fast bowler, he is also the spearhead for NSW Country.The tall right-armer excelled for the Bush Blues last year to gain selection for the first time in the Australian Country XI. His withdrawal leaves the bowling stocks barren.Tamworth's Josh Hazelwood is unavailable because he is in the Australian under-19 team. Belmont's Daniel Magin is pressing for selection in the same side."From a Country point of view it's a big loss because we've lost Josh [Hazelwood] to the Australian under-19 team and we could lose Dan [Magin] as well. So there's our three quicks gone," NSW Country vice-captain Simon Moore said."Even with Hoges [Hogan] we were going to have to try to win games by changing the way we play and try to win games with the bat."But now we're in big trouble."The fast bowling stocks are bare after Waratah-Mayfield's Burt Cockley and Adrian Ezquerro from Illawarra decided to play in Sydney this season. Cockley is turning out for Randwick Petersham, while Ezquerro plays for North Sydney.Newcastle and Wallsend speedster Matt Baker did not make himself available for NSW Country last year and is no chance this year because he is on his honeymoon.Charlestown's Steve Threadgold, who was a member of the NSW Country squad at the start of the season, has a neck and shoulder injury and is out of action.
© 2007 Newcastle Herald
