Ashes hero Matthew Hoggard has swapped cricket whites for chef whites following his retirement from the sport.
All thanks to his passion for fire and flames, the 46-year-old former bowler now runs his own grilling school which promises to teach budding chefs to get the best possible results from outdoor cooking.
Hoggard made 67 test appearances for England during his time playing for Yorkshire, memorably featuring in the triumph 2005 Ashes series in which England were victorious for the first time since 1986.
Hoggard had a bowling average of 29.56 across the series, taking a total of 16 wickets across 122 overs. His retirement from the sport came in 2013 after a spell with Leicestershire.
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Also keeping busy as a pundit, Hoggard opened ‘Grill School’ Hoggy’s Grill with the help of wife Sarah and their young son in Oakham in the East Midlands.
Hoggard says in his website introduction: “Like all young boys, I developed a passion for fire and flames at an early age.
“I have since travelled the world for my cricket career and have been fortunate enough to sample a most diverse range of cuisine and experience many different food cultures. I realised that I loved nothing more than experimenting with food and how it was prepared and cooked.
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(Image: Getty Images)
“My Grilling Courses will demonstrate how to achieve the best results from your grill and the Grill School will host regular events with exciting brands and personalities for you to enjoy.
“I am very excited about the future of Hoggy’s Grill and I cannot wait to welcome you along on this adventure!”
The site currently offers three cooking courses ranging from £60 to £200 including an Ultimate Burger package as well as a three course gourmet teaching.
(Image: Getty Images)
(Image: Getty Images)
Known for his floppy blonde hair, he took a total of 248 Test wickets for England including a memorable hat-trick against the West Indies in 2004.
He was also named as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2006, still sitting ninth on the all-time list of England’s Test wicket takers.
He said at the time of his retirement: “I feel truly honoured to have been given such incredible opportunities and I am grateful to everyone that I have worked alongside for the past 17 years.”