February 28, 2008	Thursday	Safar 20 ,1429

MELBOURNE, Feb 27: Australia’s spin bowling stocks suffered another blow on Wednesday when veteran left-arm wrist-spinner Brad Hogg announced his retirement from international cricket.

The 37-year-old, who started his first-class career as a specialist batsman before turning to spin bowling, called stumps on a lengthy career after seven Tests, having debuted in 1996, and 121 One-day Internationals.

For many years regarded as a limited overs specialist, Hogg revived his Test career following the retirement of champion leg-spinner Shane Warne early last year.

Hogg played in three of the four Tests against India this summer, but had little impact with eight wickets at 60.12.

He finishes his career with 17 Test wickets at the modest average of 54.88, but in one-day cricket for Australia he has claimed 154 wickets at 26.73 and played in two successful World Cup campaigns.

Hogg said here on Wednesday he was close to retiring after last year’s World Cup success, but decided to play on to try and revive his Test career after Warne’s retirement.

He will call it quits at the end of the current tri-series underway here, but is considering playing on for Western Australia.

“I feel the time is right to call an end to my international career, I am extremely comfortable with my decision,” Hogg said in a statement.

“I wanted to bow out while I was still on top of my game and while I was not letting my team-mates down in any way.”

A former postman, 37-year-old Hogg made his Test debut for Australia against India in 1996 but waited more than seven years for his next Test. He played his last Test against India last month.

“My career started against India and I thought if I can play Test cricket against India that would be fantastic,” he told a news conference in Melbourne.

“I wanted to fight to get back in there and I did it and I achieved what I wanted to achieve.”

Australia have been hit by a series of retirements in the past 15 months with Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Gilchrist, Tait and now Hogg all quitting.

His retirement again exposes the lack of depth in Australia’s spinning ranks post-Warne, ahead of scheduled tours of Pakistan, the West Indies and India this year.

Veteran leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, for so long Warne’s understudy, is battling injury and faces an uncertain future at the age of 37.—Agencies