The Ashes 2019 – Matthew Hoggard interview: Jofra Archer has courage and confidence to thrive in Test game

The 2005 England icon hailed Archer’s conviction in the World Cup and believes he will take pressure in his stride

“Test cricket is arguably one of the greatest sporting contests ever devised,” Adam Gilchrist once declared. No sport better combines the equal weighting of physical and mental demands in a cauldron of emotional, life-changing highs and crushing downfalls than the pinnacle of cricket.

It is the ultimate form of competition and within it is contained the fierce rivalry in sport: The Ashes.

Performances and results in England and Australia’s biennial series define careers and create legacies, impacting the lives of so many. So, what better place to make your Test debut. That’s the prospect Jofra Archer faces when he dons the England whites for the first time this summer after he was named in the nation’s 14-man squad for The Ashes.

Archer has shown little sign of hiding from anything that cricket has thrown his way; the IPL, the Big Bash and that heroic super-over to win the World Cup final. “It takes a lot of balls, that,” said Matthew Hoggard, who was part England’s 2005 Ashes-winning team.

Test cricket, named aptly due to its, well, testing nature, will be like nothing Archer has ever faced before, despite the ridiculous list of achievements on the 24-year-old’s growing CV.

“It’s the true form of cricket,” Hoggard told The Independent. “When you look at people who are successful at Test cricket, they’ve got a good mental game. They might not always be the most naturally gifted cricketer in the world, but because they have mental toughness and resilience they are successful.”

The word ‘pressure’ simply does not exist in Archer’s vocabulary. It’s an influence he is immune to, meaning the England international is likely to seamlessly adapt to his new surroundings, just like with every other challenge he has faced thus far.

“To play in the IPL will have given him a lot of courage to come into the World Cup and to do what he did in the World Cup will give him a lot of confidence, so if he does get the nod I’m sure he’ll take it in his stride just like he has done,” said Hoggard, SportNation.bet’s Ashes ambassador.

Matthew Hoggard after taking the wicket of Matthew Hayden at Lord’s in the 2005 Ashes series (Getty) (Getty Images)

“As soon as you go out to the pitch you know you’re playing in something extra-special, so it’s not just another game,” he added. “You put a lot of pressure on yourself.”

Hoggard was a key player in the side that ended a 16-year and eight series wait to end Australian dominance in the long-standing rivalry, the man in the background while other bowlers grabbed the headlines.

The 2005 series win created a legacy off the pitch as the nation became giddy with cricket fever, but back in action that side failed to build on what was a monumental achievement, suffering a 5-0 whitewash the following Ashes series as the success quickly faded.

Jofra Arches celebrates with the World Cup trophy (Getty)

There’s now pressure on this England group to ensure that there is no World Cup hangover, which seemed to have been the case when they were bowled out for 85 before lunch on the first day of their 143-run win against Ireland. “Ireland came at a perfect time for England, a buffer between the World Cup and the Ashes. It was a wake-up call to say that Test cricket is tough, and if you don’t believe us just look at what happened,” said Hoggard.

‘It’s not just another game’ (SportNation.bet)

“I don’t think you need to get yourself up when it comes to an Ashes series because it’s an occasion, the noise of the crowd and everything is going to be huge.”

Matthew Hoggard is SportNation.bet’s Ashes ambassador this summer. Please gamble responsibly 18+.