MATTHEW Hoggard's sensational bowling in the fourth Test in Johannesburg yesterday was the best for England by a Yorkshire bowler since Chris Old claimed 7-50 against Pakistan at Edgbaston in 1978.

Man-of-the-match Hoggard's 7-61 narrowly eclipsed his previous best figures for England of 7-63 against New Zealand at Christchurch in 2001-02 and his match return of 12-105 was the best of his first class career and the first time he has bagged ten wickets in a game.

It was also the best individual bowling performance by an Englishman since Ian Botham against India 25 years ago, and rubber-stamped the 77-run victory over South Africa which left the tourists 2-1 up with one to play.

Hoggard, who plays for Baildon, where he lives, has captured 141 Test wickets, and reasonable success in the final Test in Pretoria will take his England tally beyond that of Old (143 wickets) and left-arm spinner Hedley Verity (144).

Once he has overtaken this pair, only two other Yorkshire-born bowlers will have more Test wickets than Hoggard - his former new ball partner, Darren Gough (229), and the great Fred Trueman who finished with 307 after becoming the first bowler in Test cricket to reach the 300 mark.

The only Yorkshiremen with better figures than Hoggard's 7-50 yesterday are: Fred Trueman (8-31), Hedley Verity (8-43), Wilfred Rhodes (8-68), William Bates (7-28), Bobby Peel (7-31), Johnny Wardle (7-36) and Chris Old (7-50).

Hoggard is revelling in being England's silent assassin after his stunning display.

He has become accustomed to taking a back seat to big guns Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff during England's year of success.

Fittingly, Hoggard, who opened the bowling alongside Allan Donald for Free State in South Africa five years ago, finished things by dismissing last man Dale Steyn to steal some of the limelight for a change.

"The likes of Freddie Flintoff and Harmy have taken a lot of pressure off the team and allow other guys to do their jobs," said Hoggard. "It has been a great team achievement over the past year and it is nice when you occasionally get the accolades.

"Everybody has got their role in the side and it has taken me quite a while to understand what my role is. Now I hope I have found my niche in the team."

Updated: 09:41 Tuesday, January 18, 2005