Glamorgan hand reins to hero Hogan

Glamorgan have turned to veteran Australian seamer Michael Hogan to lead them for the remainder of the County Championship season.

In a rare case of a fast bowler appointed as captain on the county circuit, especially one born-and-bred Down Under, Hogan has been tasked with turning around the fortunes of the Welsh county that finished second-bottom of Division Two last year, and is yet to win a four-day game this season.

Former South Africa Test batsman Jacques Rudolph stepped down from the captaincy, and Hogan was summoned by the Glamorgan hierarchy.

"At first, I thought I had done something wrong, but delighted when I heard the news," the 35-year-old told the club's website.

"I have always wanted to captain a side as my career progressed.

"I am not going to say that I am going to solve the world's problems, but with input from the coach and other players, I hope I can get the club moving forwards."

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In his first day in the field as skipper, Hogan picked up five wickets against Durham on Friday, and at stumps on day three overnight, Glamorgan were 147 runs behind with the visitors 3-158 in their second dig.

Despite not making his first-class debut until the age of 28, the NSW-born right-armer established himself as one of the Sheffield Shield's most reliable performers in seven seasons with Western Australia.

Between his debut in 2009 and his final match for the Warriors in 2016, no bowler took more Shield wickets than Hogan's 221 scalps at 27. James Hopes (182 wickets), Trent Copeland (171) and Stephen O'Keefe (156) were the next most prolific bowlers over that period.

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In the United Kingdom Hogan continues to be one of the leading bowlers in the second division of the four-day competition. Now in his fifth season with Glamorgan, he has collected 238 wickets at 23.85 and twice has taken more than 60 scalps in a year.

Rudolph, meanwhile, will retire from all forms of cricket after this county season, suggesting a renewed focus on his batting was behind his decision to hand over the captaincy.

"I'm potentially not (enjoying it) 100 per cent as much but I think now there's a little bit of a burden off my shoulders with captaincy," said Rudolph, who played 48 Tests for the Proteas between 2003 and 2012.

"I really want to focus these last 10 games on my batting. The time feels right to call an end to my playing career.

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"I have been incredibly fortunate to have enjoyed playing the game I love for the last 20 years.

"I still want to help Glamorgan achieve success on the field this season and finish my time with the club, and end my career, on a high."