King Kyle in seven heaven

Hogg is destroyer for Lancs
GREENFIELD’S Kyle Hogg stepped up to the plate on his seasonal debut to record career-best figures for Lancashire in their LV= County Championship clash against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

The all-rounder bagged seven for 28 from 14 overs as the hosts were made to follow on in the Division One encounter.

Hogg became the first bowler to claim seven wickets in the County Championship this season as the high-flying Red Rose county moved closer to a fifth win in six matches.

The figures were also the best by a Lancashire player in first-class cricket since Peter Martin’s haul of eight for 32 against Middlesex at Uxbridge in 1997.

Hogg, who has been hit by thigh and ankle injuries this season, grabbed his chance to impress with Jimmy Anderson, Glenn Chapple and Farveez Maharoof unavailable.

He said: “Jimmy is missing, Chappie is injured and ‘the Roof’ has gone, so once you get in, you have to prove your worth.

“There was a lot of help for the bowlers, but you’ve got to put the ball in the right areas.

“Some days you get the nicks behind and some days you don’t.

“Saj (Mahmood) probably bowled better than anybody, because he kept beating the outside edge.”

Hogg took the last six wickets for just six runs in 28 balls as struggling Hampshire slumped from 98 for three to 133 all out.

The 27-year-old, who had only previously taken five or more wickets in an innings once in a 10–year first-class career, removed Benny Howell (nought), Neil McKenzie (16), James Vince (12), Dimitri Mascarenhas (one), former Lancashire player Dominic Cork (nought), Nic Pothas (nine) and Danny Briggs (two).

Hampshire’s second stint at the crease was little better — apart from Howell’s unbeaten 68.

They resumed day three on 163 for five, still 32 runs behind Lancashire’s first innings total of 328.