Hoggard in awe of All-Stars batting line-up
England fast bowler Matthew Hoggard has no intention of pulling on his pads and walking out to bat at this weekend’s Hong Kong Cricket Sixes.

For the Yorkshire pace ace is part of an All-Stars team that boasts the best batting line-up in the history of the tournament.

Leading the way will be the world’s highest ranked batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul of the West Indies.

Also featuring for the All-Stars will be the great Australian opener Justin Langer, Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya, former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and big-hitting Twenty20 king Tyron Henderson from South Africa.

The awesome line-up means cricket fans can expect plenty of huge hits when the Sixes is staged at the Kowloon Cricket Club on Saturday and Sunday (8-9 November).

“If the ground is small enough you might see me hit a couple of sixes,” laughed Hoggard. “But I’ve got no intention of batting because we have so many great batsmen. If I have to go in, then we’re in trouble!”

The England star expects all the bowlers to come in for some rough treatment at the showpiece tournament.

“If you’re going to play sixes, don’t be a bowler!” he advised. “Obviously, there are a lot of balls that are going to be disappearing into the crowd, put it’s great for the spectators and it’s a fantastic way to help make cricket popular.

“If you can sell out a ground with people watching cricket then that has to be a good thing for the game. Everyone has a great time and if they have a great time, then they’ll come back.”

The All-Stars – who also have Chaminda Vaas, Sri Lanka’s greatest fast bowler, in their seven-man squad – will start as favourites in the eight-team tournament.

And captain Fleming is hoping his new teammates play as well as they did when he faced them during his illustrious 111-test career.

“If they don’t bowl like they used to bowl to me, or bat the way they used to bat when I was fielding against them, I’ll be disappointed,” he said.

“Sanath Jayasuriya haunted me when I was playing and Chaminda Vaas used to get me out with his eyes shut, so if we don’t get wickets and runs then I’ll be upset!”

The All-Stars have been drawn in the Sobers group alongside defending champions Sri Lanka, Australia and hosts Hong Kong.

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Members of the All-Stars squad playing in the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes relax at Hong Kong’s famous harbour front. Pictured (from left) are manager Dougie Brown, Stephen Fleming, Justin Langer, Matthew Hoggard and Tyron Henderson.
Mandatory credit: Hong Kong Cricket Sixes

The Bradman Group will be contested by India, Pakistan, England and 2006 Sixes champions South Africa.

Gates will open at 8am on both days of the tournament and a small number of tickets will be on sale on Saturday morning.

The Hong Kong Cricket Sixes is fully sanctioned by the International Cricket Council and is the sport's longest-running, best-established and most high-profile sixes tournament.

Players who have taken part over the past 16 years include Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Steve and Mark Waugh, Viv Richards, Andrew Flintoff, Adam Gilchrist and Wasim Akram.

The tournament is organised and promoted by the Hong Kong Cricket Association’s commercial arm, China Cricket International Limited.

The HKCA’s proceeds from the Sixes will be ploughed directly back into cricket development in Hong Kong.

About the Hong Kong Cricket Association
The Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA) is responsible for professionally administering cricket at all levels in Hong Kong. It aims to promote, expand and develop the sport, improve standards in all areas of the game and increase the number of participants from all sectors of the local community. It organises competitions throughout the year for all age groups, from primary school children to senior players. The HKCA’s wholly owned subsidiary, China Cricket International Limited, is responsible for the organisation and management of the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes 

Released on behalf of the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes by Two Up Front. 

For further information, please contact: 
Niall Donnelly           
Two Up Front     
Tel:      +852 2854 2136     
Mob:      +852 6052 3330     
Fax:       +852 3579 5955     
Email:    niall@tuf.com.hk           

豪格對明星隊擊球手又愛又怕
英格蘭快投手豪格(Matthew Hoggard)於週末的香港六人賽，穿上擊球手服裝的機會看來不大。

對這位Yorkshire快投手，明星隊須為六人賽準備最佳的擊球員。開場的是西印度群島的陳德寶，他現時為世上得分最高的擊球員。

明星隊其他球員包括開場的澳洲巨星蘭格(Justin Langer)、斯里蘭卡傳奇人物賈亞蘇里亞(Sanath Jayasuriya)、前紐西蘭隊長費林明和來自南非的Twenty20擊球王韓德遜(Tyron Henderson)。

這強勁的隊伍將於今星期六、日(11月8至9日)於九龍木球會舉行的六人賽為觀眾獻技。

豪格笑着道：「如果場地夠小，可能會看到我擊球。可是我沒打算出場，尤其在隊中有好多好擊球手，如果我真的出場，大家可慘了！」

這位英格蘭明星準備賽事當日將會很狂野。

他勸告：「如果打六人賽，你千萬不要做投球手！許多板球會消失在人眾當中，可是觀眾會很喜歡，也是幫助推廣男子板球活動的方法之一。一場售罄的賽事，人人可享受比賽的氣氛；他們開心，下次便會再來。」

七人組成的明星隊還包括斯里蘭卡快投手法斯，將在八隊中斡旋，使出渾身解數。

隊長費林明則希望隊友可發揮出對抗賽時的實力。

他表示：「如果他們不好好地投球，或者好好地擊球，我會很失望。賈亞蘇里亞老是在比賽時纏住我，法斯閉起雙眼也可以打中我，所以如果我們拿不到三柱門我會很生氣！」

明星隊與衛冕的斯里蘭卡、澳洲和東道主香港編為Sobers組。

Bradman組則有印度、巴基斯坦、英格蘭和南非。

兩日的賽事將在上午8時開始入場，少量門票可在星期六上午於比賽場地購買。

香港六人板球賽於1992年創辦，獲國際板球會全面認可，是該項運動最具歷史、最完善及最受注目的六人比賽。

回新聞頁

明星隊隊員在香港著名的海旁拍照留念。左起為經理人Dougie Brown、費林明(Stephen Fleming)、蘭格(Justin Langer)、豪格(Matthew Hoggard)和韓德遜(Tyron Henderson)。
相片提供：香港六人賽

曾在過去16年參賽的球手包括拿拉、鄧德家、史提夫及馬克華治、李察士、費度夫、基卓斯及艾林。

賽事由香港板球會附屬公司中國板球國際負責籌辦及推廣。

賽事所得款項會透過香港板球會投入本地板球發展。

有關香港板球總會
香港板球總會負責管理全港各級別的板球事務，目標為推廣、擴大及發展板球運動、改善運動各範疇及增加本港社區各階層的參加人數。會方全年為包括學界及年長級別籌辦比賽，其全資附屬機構中國板球國際有限公司負責籌辦及管理香港六人板球賽。  

由Two Up Front代表香港六人木球賽發佈。

如欲查詢賽事詳情，請聯絡：  
Niall Donnelly                       Vivian Pau
Two Up Front                      Two Up Front
電話 : +852 2854 2136      電話 : +852 2110 5890
手提 : +852 6052 3330      手提 : +852 6055 4122
傳真 :  +852 3579 5955     傳真 : +852 3579 5955
電郵 : niall@tuf.com.hk       電郵 : vivian@tuf.com.hk