Hoggard "devastated" by Yorks release
Hoggard "devastated" following release by Yorkshire
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Monday, 12, Oct 2009 10:13
By Michael Younger.
Former England seam bowler Matthew Hoggard has admitted being "shocked and bitterly disappointed" at Yorkshire's decision not to renew his contract after 15 years at the club.
During his 15 years at Headingley, Hoggard took 668 wickets in 195 first-class matches for the county, including finishing the current campaign as the club's leading wicket-taker in the County Championship with 43 scalps.
Speaking to the Times newspaper following his release, the 32-year-old claims the county are letting him go for financial reasons.
"I was called into a meeting and told over a cup of coffee I was being sacked," he said.
"We had started talks about being captain. It went from being interested in being captain to 'I'm sorry we're not renewing your contract'."
Hoggard claimed he "wanted to commit the rest of my career to the club" and said he was left dismayed at how he could go from negotiating over the top job to being left out in the cold.
"I would have relished the thought of captaincy, which I had discussed with [chairman] Colin Graves and [director of cricket] Martyn Moxon.
"Now I have effectively been sacked and I'm not even going to play for Yorkshire again, which makes me incredibly sad."
Hoggard said he regrets the fact that he has now played his last game for the club, especially as he did not know it at the time.
"What really upsets me is that I wasn't given the chance in my final game to say goodbye to the Yorkshire supporters, who have been so good to me over the years," he continued.
"Other players who knew they weren't going to be around next year were given a handshake and a send-off in front of the fans.
"All I got after 15 years at the club was a cup of coffee in the chief executive's office.
"I still feel as though I've got a good few years in me and it's up to me now to prove that Yorkshire were wrong to let me go."