Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has described former cricketer Brad Hodge as an “underrated” player, acknowledging that he grew up admiring Hodge and had “posters of him on his wall”. Maxwell noted that, had Hodge been born in a different era, he would have featured more prominently in Test cricket for Australia.
Speaking on the ‘Keeping it Cricket’ podcast, Maxwell highlighted Hodge’s limited opportunities at the international level despite his proven abilities in red-ball cricket. Hodge played only six Test matches, during which he scored a double century, but his international career coincided with a period when the Australian team included players such as Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Justin Langer, and Matthew Hayden.
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Referring to Hodge as “an absolute superstar,” Maxwell said, “I had posters of him up on my wall and was lucky enough to play state cricket with him. To watch him live, it was incredible. He definitely should have played more Test cricket than he did. You could probably argue where he would fit in that world-class lineup. In that era, if you were not averaging 50-plus, it was hard to stay in the side. Had he come a generation or two later, he would have played 120 Test matches, but he was a superstar.”
Hodge’s Test statistics include 503 runs from 11
Hodge’s Test statistics include 503 runs from 11 innings at an average of 55.88, featuring one century and two fifties, with a highest score of 203 not out. In One Day Internationals, he played 25 matches and scored 575 runs at an average of 30.26, including one century and three fifties. His Twenty20 International record comprises 15 matches with 183 runs at an average of 26.14 and a strike rate of 127.08.
In first-class cricket, Hodge amassed 17,084 runs across 223 matches and 388 innings, averaging 48.81, with 51 centuries and 64 fifties, and a top score of 302 not out. His List-A career includes 9,127 runs in 251 matches at an average of 43.25, with 29 centuries and 38 fifties, and a highest score of 164. In Twenty20 matches, he scored 9,627 runs in 277 games at an average of 36.84, including two centuries and 48 fifties, maintaining a strike rate of 131.28.
Maxwell also praised New Zealand batsman Mark Chapman, his teammate for Belfast Wolves in the European T20 Premier League. He said, “The guy I have been playing with a little bit recently, I got to sort of see him a bit more up close and how good he is, is Mark Chapman from New Zealand. His ball striking is really great, for how big he is and how he has not played Tests for New Zealand. He has really impressed me over the last 18 months and in the time I have been playing with him.”
Chapman, who initially represented Hong Kong before qualifying
Chapman, who initially represented Hong Kong before qualifying to play for New Zealand, has appeared in 37 ODIs, scoring 1,057 runs at an average of 36.44 with a strike rate above 104, including three centuries and five fifties. For New Zealand specifically, he has featured in 35 ODIs, accumulating 906 runs at an average of 32.35 with a strike rate of 104.86, including two centuries and five fifties.
In Twenty20 Internationals, Chapman has played 113 matches scoring 2,074 runs at an average of 25.92 and a strike rate of 135.73, including one century and 10 fifties. Of those, 94 games and 1,682 runs at an average of 26.69 with a strike rate of 142.42, including one century and nine fifties, were for New Zealand.
Source: thenewsmill.com
