Nonetheless, IMO the fact that there are few better than him at the current time only shows how poor standards have been of late. If you compare Hoggard to the great seamers of the 1990s, the Ambroses, Bishops, Walshes, Wasims, Waqars, Donalds, de Villiers', Pollocks, Frasers, McDermotts, Reiffels, McGraths, Flemings, Gillespies, etc. I don't think he rates too highly. Hoggard is not especially tall so does not have huge margin-for-error in length, sometimes misplaces his lines (though rarely as badly as the Harmisons, Joneses, Mahmoods, Plunketts and the like of this World), and despite having the tricks to take wickets on most pitches doesn't do so often enough to maintain a sub-27 average. Therefore, he's nothing, in my eyes, more than a pretty good bowler, and certainly has never been possessed of the talents of a Gough, Caddick, Cork, White or Flintoff. Or probably even a Tudor or Headley.