Hoggard: we must pull together

Matthew Hoggard is well aware England must perform well as a unit at the MCG © Getty Images

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Matthew Hoggard will step out in front of a packed MCG on Boxing Day hoping England can emerge from their Ashes defeat to finally deliver an all-round team display.

The Yorkshire swing bowler has been one of the few England players to stand out on the tour, claiming 7-109 during the second-Test defeat at Adelaide. He is the tourists’ leading wicket-taker with 12 victims.

Other players have impressed – Paul Collingwood hit a double century in Adelaide and Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook have also reached three figures, while Monty Panesar claimed eight wickets on his only appearance in Perth.

Those individual efforts have provided bright moments for England, but they are yet to click as a team, one of the notable features of their 2005 Ashes success.

It is a performance that is overdue, according to Hoggard, as England prepare to play in front of 100,000 at the newly developed MCG and attempt to avoid an Ashes whitewash.

“It’s been very upsetting – everyone is gutted at losing the Ashes,” said Hoggard. “We wanted to come out here and play to the best of our abilities and I don’t think we’ve done that.

“We’ve only played four and a half days of good cricket in Adelaide during the series, but Australia are a top side and you don’t stay the top side for some time if you don’t put in some good performances.

“We’ve got to prove to ourselves that we can beat Australia. We’ve shown glimpses of what we can do and we’ve had some good individual performances over the three games, but we haven’t put in a big team performance.”

Hoggard's 7-109 in Adelaide is one of the few plus points for the tourists © Getty Images

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Hoggard can at least look forward to running out at the MCG in front of the biggest attendance at the ground, having missed out on selection for the corresponding Test four years ago.

Back then, the tourists preferred Andrew Caddick, Steve Harmison and all-rounder Craig White as their main seamers, and Hoggard is relishing the opportunity to finally play at one of the world’s greatest sporting arenas.

“It’s going to be an amazing occasion,” he enthused. “The last time we were here there was only half a stadium built and it’s a game I’m looking forward to playing in.

“I’ve been told Boxing Day Test matches are second to none and it’s an amazing feeling. To play in front of such a massive crowd is going to be unbelievable.

“We’ve played in front of the crowds at Eden Gardens in India when they’re screaming and all the noise they make, so we can draw on our experiences from there.

“It will be tough – there will be a lot of noise – but I’m sure we’ll be able to cope.”