Wisden overview
Brad Hogg began his first-class career as a specialist batsman, but his unorthodox wrist-spin and dazzling fielding skills have since become the outstanding features of a well-rounded cricketing personality. Like all other Australian spinners, Hogg spent most of the 1990s labouring under Shane Warne's immense shadow. In Warne's absence, he earned a place on the 1996-97 tour of India, but it was an unhappy trip. Australia were soundly beaten in the one-off Test, and Hogg was dropped, seemingly destined for one-cap-wondership, after five consecutive defeats in the subsequent one-day tournament. But, six years later, he earned a second bite of the one-day cherry when Warne dislocated his shoulder in a freak fielding accident. Some sparky displays with the ball, where he relies on confidence almost as much as control, and a vital 71 not out in one of the VB Series finals against England earned the wide-eyed Hogg a place in the 2003 World Cup squad - and when Warne was sent home following a positive drugs test Hogg became the No. 1 spinner. Sharp turn and a well-disguised chinaman made him a threat throughout, and he grabbed the wicket of the dangerous Yuvraj Singh in the final to effectively end India's challenge. That finally led to more Test caps, in the West Indies over the following months. Andrew Miller

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd