• From: The corridor of uncertainty
  • Registered: 27-04-2005
  • Posts: 3,717

Topic: Andy Hodd

This is most definitely not an anti Ben Brown or Matt Prior thread and I trust nobody will turn it into that but I just wanted to note how much I enjoy seeing Hoddy keeping wicket and batting. All this one day cricket is currently depriving me of that pleasure and Hodd of opportunity. I know that three into one doesn't really go but I hope we get to see him in the first team again before to long.

PS Whilst on about Hoddy - does anybody agree with me that he should have been capped by now? I'd have thought that his performances more than stack up against other recently capped players - thats if you only consider his batting nevermind his mercurial glovemanship.

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  • Registered: 12-06-2008
  • Posts: 91

Re: Andy Hodd

I completely agree.  Hoddy is a legend and should be recognised as such! smile

  • From: Sunny Bognor Regis
  • Registered: 23-08-2004
  • Posts: 7,749

Re: Andy Hodd

This season Hoddy has been pure class when ever I have seen him. His batting has looked assured and I haven't seen many better gloveman in recent years, and that includes the overseas tours I've been on.

It's a real juggling act that is required by Yards and Robbo to keep everyone happy. Ben and Matt are both class acts and are more explosive batsman but I can't remember seeing a better Sussex keeper at Hove since I started watching in the seventies.
I'd be interested to hear from someone who knows a bit about wicketkeeping as to how Hoddy compares to the likes of Read and Foster.  :?:

From 2014 I have doubts that being a Sussex fan will continue to be the best sporting pleasure on the planet.
  • Registered: 16-05-2007
  • Posts: 295

Re: Andy Hodd

I cannot profess to be a wicket keeping expert by any means but have donned the gloves from time to time. What I would say is that there is very little between the top 'keepers in the country. What distinguishes them from the rest is the very few mistakes they make. Hoddy definitely falls into this category.

It can be very misleading when a 'keeper dives four feet to his left and grasps a one handed catch; it looks superb however the best keepers anticipate well and move their feet even better. Hoddy does both of those things and therefore goes about 'keeping in a very unfussy manner, I would personally back him against any other wicket keeper I have seen, international or otherwise.

Not a bat batsman either........

  • Registered: 08-04-2007
  • Posts: 4,102

Re: Andy Hodd

I think if Hodd gets another century or two in the championship this season he may well be capped as he must be pretty close to doing so.

As for Brown being selected over Hodd in the one-day team I think it is the correct decision by Robbo as Ben is a more explosive batsman.

  • From: Arundel
  • Registered: 25-08-2004
  • Posts: 4,438

Re: Andy Hodd

agreed. 

but having said that, i'll be slightly surprised if all three are still with us next season.

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mike-by-the-sea's Website

  • Registered: 08-04-2007
  • Posts: 4,102

Re: Andy Hodd

Hodd is the only one out of contract so unless Prior loses his place with England I think Hodd will be with us next season. As for Brown, he is contracted until 2010 and although Surrey are really keen to sign him I certainly wouldn't allow him to leave before the end of next season as we won't have a number two keeper (assuming Prior is with England).

  • Registered: 24-04-2009
  • Posts: 40

Re: Andy Hodd

It wouldnt surprise me to see Hoddy go at the end of the season.  He is a first class keeper and deserves far more opportunity.

  • Registered: 08-04-2007
  • Posts: 4,102

Re: Andy Hodd

If Prior loses his England place then we WILL lose Hodd at the end of the season!

  • Registered: 24-04-2009
  • Posts: 40

Re: Andy Hodd

Even if Prior doesnt lose his place we could lose Hodd-  he may not hang around to see what is happening!

  • From: Southwater
  • Registered: 06-04-2007
  • Posts: 2,658

Re: Andy Hodd

Hodd is a class act & we should do everything to keep him at the club & that includes giving him the cap.   

Bearing in mind that we are may lose Goodwin next year we need a replacement batsman. Hodd is as good a bat if not better bat than those not currently playing in the side.

If Prior does get dropped by England, it will be because of his wicket keeping & not his batting.If that does happen his only way back into the England side is through his strength of runs- this may be easier if he gave up the gloves.

  • From: Arundel
  • Registered: 25-08-2004
  • Posts: 4,438

Re: Andy Hodd

we (me very much included) are still saying much the same as we did a year or two ago.   matt has played more games for england than many, and is a fine player,  but still the jury is out to some extent !!!

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  • From: Sunny Bognor Regis
  • Registered: 23-08-2004
  • Posts: 7,749

Re: Andy Hodd

After the Ashes in September central contracts are dished out by the ECB for 2009/2010.
We will all then know a bit more about how the England selectors feel about the long term future of Matt.

From 2014 I have doubts that being a Sussex fan will continue to be the best sporting pleasure on the planet.
  • From: Arundel
  • Registered: 25-08-2004
  • Posts: 4,438

Re: Andy Hodd

yes.

and this will, of course, have a knock-on effect for hodd and brown.

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  • From: Fishersgate Maritime Village
  • Registered: 04-11-2006
  • Posts: 10,444

Re: Andy Hodd

Yes I think the Ashes will be the key for Matt - if he can score runs and not make too many mistakes with the gloves, the job should be his for the long-term.
THis then enables more long-term decisions to be made re the other two

  • From: Hove seafront, still high up..
  • Registered: 26-04-2009
  • Posts: 1,965

Re: Andy Hodd

This is a very hard one to call..

Imho you will struggle to find a more naturally talented gloveman anywhere in the country than Ben Brown - I could watch him keep all day, you don't even hear the ball hit the gloves and standing up he is incredibly sharp, but then not far behind you have Hoddy who is the superior batsmen...

I doubt the ECB could justify Matt not being Sussex's first choice keeper but being the test keeper but the reality is that Matt is the 3rd best keeper in the squad. This leaves the coaching staff with the dilemma of keeping 2 of the best young, and most sought after keepers in the country, happy along with England's number one...

It's virtually impossible for them really...

Ashes winning bowler 2011 (3-9 in the Fans Ashes, Barmy Army 3 - 2 Australian Fanatics, Coogee Oval 01/01/11)
  • From: Arundel
  • Registered: 25-08-2004
  • Posts: 4,438

Re: Andy Hodd

true. very true.

life member - you're stuck with me!

mike-by-the-sea's Website

  • From: Derby
  • Registered: 08-08-2005
  • Posts: 871

Re: Andy Hodd

It is a bit ironic that we are all secretly hoping that Matt spends as much time with England as possible, so that Andy and Ben can get their share of the limelight?

I'd be more that happy to see Ben keeping in T20's, and Andy taking it in the County Championship and maybe the 50-overs.

Plus, circumstances may dictate that an extra batsman be played, in which case, one of the two could easily step forward, as Hoppo seems to be out of favour...

headhigh_beamer's Website

  • Registered: 08-04-2007
  • Posts: 4,102

Re: Andy Hodd

Didn't Goodwin say a while back Hodd was the most techically gifted batsman on the Sussex staff? I think he could bat in the top 4. Whereas Brown is probably a more naturally talented gloveman. I think you would struggle to find a more naturally talnted gloveman in the country!

  • From: Three Bridges
  • Registered: 06-09-2006
  • Posts: 4,870

Re: Andy Hodd

What about Adam Davies, forgive me if i've got his name wrong, though Sharkey, is he not supposed to show more talent than his three seniors ?

  • Registered: 08-04-2007
  • Posts: 4,102

Re: Andy Hodd

He is certainly a good wicketkeeper batsman who averaged over 50 last year for Brighton College. However, he has another year to run after this in the Academy which is why I hope we can defer having to make a decision on Hodd or Brown for at least another season.

Of the eight currently in the Academy I think there are four with the potential to make it as a Sussex cricketer. They are Machan, Wells (both batsman), Davies (keeper) and Parsons (spinner). Although not in the Academy at present the player I rate very highly is 16 year old left handed batsman Owain Jones who plays for St James.

On the seamer front, I'm praying that two sixteen year olds (John Glover and Jared Bernadin) come through as we need someone to replace Geffen and Thorpe who are due to graduate from the Academy this season.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jones, Rebetts (batsman who bowls), Richards (keeper), Willway (batsman) and Georgia Adams were also named along with Glover and Bernadin in the Academy squad next season.

My Academy squad for 2010 would be:

Batsman: G Adams, J Chapman, O Jones, R Willway
Keepers: AH Davies, H Richards
Spinner: J Parsons
Seamers: D M Endersby, D Rebbetts, J Bernadin, J Glover

  • Registered: 15-08-2006
  • Posts: 18

Re: Andy Hodd

As I have said elsewhere, I have not seen better keeping than Hoddy in the 4 day match against Durham.  Athletic and elegant with superb hands. Brown seems an effective stopper, but I saw him make errors in the matches televised on Sky. 

Brown has promise I am sure and may well develop his batting in the future.  However, at present Hoddy is a far superior batter and has scored runs against the very best bowlers (I am not sure that Brown has scored a century for the 2ndXI yet - has he Sharkey?)

I don't believe we can keep three keepers happy and one of Brown or Hodd will surely have to move on in order to develop their career.  For my own part, it would be  a tremendous shame to lose Andy Hodd.

  • Registered: 08-04-2007
  • Posts: 4,102

Re: Andy Hodd

widebyereturns wrote:

As I have said elsewhere, I have not seen better keeping than Hoddy in the 4 day match against Durham.  Athletic and elegant with superb hands. Brown seems an effective stopper, but I saw him make errors in the matches televised on Sky. 

Brown has promise I am sure and may well develop his batting in the future.  However, at present Hoddy is a far superior batter and has scored runs against the very best bowlers (I am not sure that Brown has scored a century for the 2ndXI yet - has he Sharkey?)

I don't believe we can keep three keepers happy and one of Brown or Hodd will surely have to move on in order to develop their career.  For my own part, it would be  a tremendous shame to lose Andy Hodd.

Brown hasn't got a century for 2XI yet. He has 97, 95 (which I saw and which he should have got a hundred but for an AWFUL shot whereby he just lobbed it up in the area for a caught and bowled chance) and 87.

We may lose Hodd at the end of the season not because of Brown but because he must be getting pissed off that everytime Prior returns from England duty he loses the gloves and his first place! What we really need is for Prior to win an England central contract.

I think it would be a tremendous shame to lose either!

  • Registered: 01-12-2009
  • Posts: 346

Re: Andy Hodd

I am hoping that Sussex are seriously considering Andrew Hodd's place in the starting 11.  I know I'm not one of Hodd's biggest fans but how long can it go for only scoring a few runs each innings.  I know he did well at the beginning of last season, but since then he is seem to have gone downhill rather steadily

  • From: Hailsham
  • Registered: 12-05-2006
  • Posts: 5,049

Re: Andy Hodd

Why dont you get off his back, his keeping has been superb.
He scored 37 and 18 at Cardiff, 7 and dnb against Surrey, he only got 1 and 2 at Bristol, but then its a bowler friendly wicket.
So on what basis do you think they should be considering his starting position.
Quite frankly, IMHO, you  are talking like a pillock.

Who is that man talking to Schlidd ?