Boycs' home truths help Hoggard
Put it down to Boycott or Hoggard, but the swing bowler's efforts in his non-specialist subject have improved markedly since.
Born and bred a number 11, he would probably have batted at 12 in his early years if England could have got away with it.
Gradually, though, he turned into a competent nightwatchman, albeit one with no strokes to speak of, apart from that forward barn-door block learnt from Boycott.
On Sunday evening at Trent Bridge, England's Ashes challenge hung by a thread.
Shane Warne and Brett Lee had torn out their entire specialist batting to reduce the hosts to 116 for seven in the fourth Test. Thirteen more runs were needed for England to go 2-1 up in the series. Simon Jones, last man in, could barely walk because of an injured ankle.
