Michael Hogan became Glamorgan’s most successful bowler in T20 cricket as he claimed his 101st and 102nd wicket for the Welsh county during a pulsating game against Surrey at The Oval which the home side narrowly won by four wickets with one ball to spare. (writes Andrew Hignell)
On Thursday evening, Hogan’s three wickets during Glamorgan’s seven-wicket victory over Sussex at Hove had lifted the seam bowler into second place in the Club’s all-time list of wicket-takers in T20 cricket, and just three wickets away from becoming only the second bowler to claim 100 or more for the Welsh county in the short format of the game.
Hogan had entered the match against Sussex with 94 wickets to his name and in his second over, his tally rose to 95 as he bowled Luke Wright, placing him level with Graham Wagg in the list of T20 wicket-takers. Hogan then returned to have Delray Rawlins caught in the deep by Dan Douthwaite before adding a further victim in his closing over thanks to a brilliant catch by Marnus Labuschagne who ran in from long-off and dived forward to safely pouch the ball. On an evening of Welsh dominance on the South Coast, the Australian’s athletic efforts epitomised Glamorgan’s energetic and skilful efforts.
On Friday night at The Oval he added five more wickets to his tally, starting in his second over as he removed Jason Roy and Will Jacks in the space of three balls, before returning in the 15th over to claim his 100th wicket and equal Dean Cosker’s Club record as Sam Curran swatted the evergreen seamer into Sam Northeast’s hands at deep backward square-leg.
The miserly Hogan then returned to deliver a superb final over – the 19th of the contest – and become Glamorgan’s most successful T20 bowler as Ollie Pope miscued another expansive drive to Northeast at backward point. Two balls later, Jordan Clark holed out at cow corner as Hogan claimed his 102nd victim and complete his second “five-for” in T20 cricket having claimed 5/17 against Gloucestershire at Cardiff in 2017. However, his superb efforts could not prevent Surrey from winning with one ball to spare.
Even though Cosker has lost his place at the top of this list, he could still remain the only Glamorgan cricketer with 100 or more wickets in all three formats, with an aggregate of 553 first-class wickets, 246 in List A cricket and 100 in T20. Hogan currently has 431 first-class wickets to his name, plus 83 in List A games, but after the last two nights, you would not want to bet against Hogan claiming the 17 wickets he needs in this year’s Royal London Cup campaign to emulate the spinner’s achievements.
Most wickets for Glamorgan in T20 cricket
Michael Hogan - 102
Dean Cosker – 100
Graham Wagg – 95
Robert Croft – 87
Timm van der Gugten – 62
Andrew Salter – 60