England can be the best team in the world: Matthew Hoggard

Alastair Cook and his men made a strong comeback in the four-match Test series to not just level it but also give the Pakistan a reality check after things looked too good for them following the Lord’s Test victory. England put on a strong batting show in both the innings and was well complemented by their bowlers as they wrapped up a 330-run victory which could have easily been by an innings margin had they imposed the follow-on. As the teams head to Edgbaston for the third Test former England fast bowler Matthew Hoggard was quoted saying that this England team is strong enough to be a dominant force in world cricket for at least a few years.

Hoggard said that the team has been close to achieving that domination level in the past but fell short. “England have flirted with periods of dominance before and have never quite achieved it,” Hoggard told Reuters in an interview.

“But at this moment in time they’ve got the right balance to be the best in the world for a number of years. We are feared … and with the group of players we’ve got there’s no reason why we can’t be the best.”

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He also pointed out that not just the players in the team but England also has a really good bench strength and that is a really positive sign going ahead. “The reason England are so strong is the competition for places,” he said. “There are loads of wicketkeepers in line to play and loads of middle-order batsmen.

“Sam Billings is getting lots of runs and look at Ben Duckett who scored 220 not out for the Lions in a 50-over game against Sri Lanka this week. He put on an unbeaten 367 for the second wicket with Daniel Bell-Drummond (171).

“In the bowling department we missed Ben Stokes and James Anderson in the first-test defeat against Pakistan at Lord’s this month but look how well Chris Woakes is playing for the team at the moment,” said the 39-year-old Hoggard.

“There are a group of players behind the current crop who have got the shirts at the moment who could do at least as good a job and maybe an even better job. We’ve got so much strength in depth.”

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He also compared the first two Tests and said that Edgbaston wicket also looks good for a result. “Sport is funny,” said the Yorkshireman.

“Look at Yasir Shah at Lord’s, he looked a world-beater, the best spinner in the world, Shane Warne-esque, and then he took one for 213 in the first innings at Old Trafford.

“That’s the great thing about sport, you never really know what’s going to happen next.

“They are two fantastic games coming up. Edgbaston is another wicket that will produce a result,” he said.

“It might turn a little bit but whoever plays the best cricket for four to five days will come out victorious.”

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