BioGraphy

Brad Hodge was Australia's unluckiest casualty of the 2005-06 season of batting change. Picked for his first Test in November after being the reserve on tours to India, New Zealand and England, Hodge opened with a fluent 60 and by the end of the home summer had 409 runs at an envious average of 58.42. Still it wasn't enough to earn him a spot on the South Africa trip as the selectors returned to Damien Martyn and Michael Clarke. The decision left Hodge with another winter to ponder national selection, but his response was clear: "Don't worry, I'll be back." Included in his five outings was an unbeaten 203 against South Africa in Perth when he joined his boyhood idol Dean Jones as one of five Australians to make their maiden century a double. Two Tests later, Hodge, a tiny right-hander who is more quiet and laid back than Jones, was dropped amid whispers of a technical flaw against fast bowling, a short drought in the Pura Cup and a selection "judgment call". He picked himself up with a century in the domestic final loss to Queensland, but was again overlooked for the Bangladesh series and had a winter assignment with Lancashire. Further spoils finally came his way after another successful home summer and he was promoted to the one-day side when Ricky Ponting rested. Following two failures, he was reprieved when Andrew Symonds suffered an arm injury and his unlucky streak remained only in that he was stranded on 99 not out when he hit the winning runs against New Zealand. A first ODI hundred also remained one hefty shot out of reach when he posted an unbeaten 97 in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, but it gave him confidence ahead of his first World Cup. A regular and consistent performer in state and county cricket, Hodge made his Victorian debut in 1993-94 as an 18-year-old and almost compiled 1000 runs in the season as he settled quickly at No. 4. The following years were more difficult, but he returned from the dips in form as a more complete player and carries a classical technique and the ability to direct shots to all parts of the ground. Around consistently impressive one-day returns, Hodge passed the 1000 barrier in the 2000-01 first-class summer when he was a key player in the Bushrangers' march to a second successive Pura Cup final. More of the same output was revealed in 2001-02, when he shared the domestic Player-of-the-Season award with Queensland's Jimmy Maher, and his consistency pushed him towards international honours. After a brief spell with Durham in 2002, Hodge spent two productive summers at Leicestershire, leading them to a domestic one-day trophy in 2004 and making the county's highest individual score of 302 not out against Nottinghamshire the season before, but moved to Lancashire in 2005. Rewarded with his first Cricket Australia contract in 2004, he was picked for the India tour and considered for the opening Test, but narrowly missed a place taken spectacularly by Clarke. Hodge is again behind Clarke in the Test pecking order, although with a national deal and an evolving line-up he remains in sight of resuming his short and stunning five-day career. Cricinfo staff February 2007

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