Jon Pierik
Warne void first major crack for Aussies?
By Jon Pierik
Dec 24, 2007, 17:16

It's been 15 years since Australia went into a major Test series with uncertainty over its No.1 spinner. Brad Hogg, at 36, is the man in poll position but is far from established.

Not since Greg Matthews took to the field against the West Indies at the Gabba in 1992-93 when Shane Warne was overlooked has there been conjecture over this crucial role.

Warne, though, soon made the spot his own, and the rest is history.
When the champion leg-spinner wasn't available, the Aussies were almost always able to turn to Stuart MacGill, a match-winner in his own right. But no more, because of his injury.

Hogg has now been given the chance to reignite a Test a career which has featured just the four Tests since it, too, began against India in Delhi 11 years ago. The bubbly left-arm wrist-spinner may yet carry his strong form in one-day cricket over into the game's toughest arena, but the jury is out.

Hogg is a smarter bowler now, and feels he knows how to keep sustained pressure on batsmen. He has a wrong-un some of the game's superstars have struggled to pick, although that weapon may not be as potent in Tests because batsmen are not obliged to score at such a quick rate.

That, though, does not appear to be the case with the Indians who have signalled their intent to curtail Hogg's comeback by targetting him for special treatment. The tourists dine on spin as often as they do a curry, and handled Warne better than any rival nation. Warne's figures clearly show that, and it wasn't until he was used more in a defensive role behind the quicks in India three years ago that Australia claimed a breakthrough series win.

The tourists won't let Hogg settle, so this battle will be a fascinating one come Boxing Day - if he is picked over a four-man pace attack - and through the rest of the summer. Hogg will be nervous and so will the rest of Australia as reality bites that Warne has gone and the injured MacGill may not be far away from following.

Faith must be shown in the former postman by skipper Ricky Ponting and local spectators, for if Hogg is destroyed there is no-one to replace him. It's as simple as that, and that's the real worry. There is no young spinner commanding an international call-up.

Suddenly, there may be a major crack in what was - for the most part - an invincible Australian unit. Ponting's team has begun the summer with a whitewash against an overawed Sri Lankan team which never really got going.

The Indians have arrived buoyed by a home series win over Pakistan and a breakthrough series victory in England this year. There has also been a series win in the Caribbean and a maiden Test victory in South Africa in recent times, confirming they have shed the tag of being easy roadkill.

They now face their toughest test against the world's best, and one boasting a pace attack the envy of most nations. How the tourists' ageing batting line-up handles the white-hot pace of Brett Lee and Shaun Tait, the swing of Mitchell Johnson and the extra bounce Stuart Clark generates is likely to be the deciding factor as the summer unfolds.

Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid are all on their final tours Down Under, and all are desperate to end India's barren run there. India has vowed to play aggressive cricket. That goes without saying for the Australians.

Let's hope an otherwise dull home summer suddenly hots up.

Jon Pierik is Cricket Correspondent of the Herald-Sun newspaper in Australia.

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