WHO said Twenty20 cricket is a young man's game?
Newcastle's Michael Hogan has continued to defy Father Time with another man-of-the-match display for Glamorgan in England's Vitality Blast competition.
In Thursday night's T20 clash with Essex at Cardiff's Sophia Gardens, Hogan took 3-19 from four overs - dismissing both openers in his second over - to set up a commanding six-wicket win for the home side.
Sharing the new ball with Australian Test star Michael Neser (3-13), Hogan helped restrict the visitors to 9-113, a total Glamorgan cruised past with 19 balls to spare.
After four T20 games this season, Hogan has taken 12 wickets - the most in the competition - at a remarkable average of 8.33.
During his haul of 5-17 against Surrey last weekend, which included the wickets of England internationals Jason Roy, Ollie Pope and Sam Curran, the former Merewether right-armer became Glamorgan's greatest-ever wicket-taker in T20s.
He has now dismissed 106 batsmen for the Welsh county in the 20-over format.
All this from a bloke who turned 41 during the week.
Hogan, who joined Glamorgan in 2013 after debuting for Western Australia four years earlier, at the age of 28, has already announced this will be his last season in professional cricket.
Glamorgan are honouring Hogan with a testimonial year and he appears intent on going out with a bang.
As well as his 12 Vitality Blast wickets, he has also removed 19 batsmen in four-day championship matches this season, including the prized scalp of England Test captain Ben Stokes in Glamorgan's recent match against Durham.
He is now closing in on another remarkable milestone - 900 wickets in professional ranks. He is currently 10 shy after taking 655 in first-class matches, 118 in List A one-dayers and 117 in T20s for WA and Glamorgan.
As Neser, who debuted for Australia during last season's Ashes, told BBC Sport after Thursday's win: "Michael has been doing it every game so far. He is Mr Reliable at the moment and bowled fantastically again, carrying on his red-ball form into the T20."
In news that might have batsmen in the Newcastle district competition nervous, Hogan and his young family are planning to return from the United Kingdom at the end of the British summer and he is considering playing for Merewether next season.
Meanwhile, another evergreen fast bowler has reaffirmed the theory that age is only a number as Jimmy Anderson starred for England on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's. Anderson, 39, took 4-66, including the first two wickets, to help rout the Black Caps for 132.
Debutant Matthew Potts (4-13) leant valuable support.
New Zealand hit back to reduce England to 7-116 at stumps.
