Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
You don’t have to be an Olympic hopeful to find inspiration. You might also be facing a challenge from Father Time. As you approach your 40s, or even ride over that particular hill, do you feel your body taking longer to recover, or are you noticing more aches and pains as you compete in sport activities?
Have you considered taking up something less physically challenging in the sporting arena, like darts or golf (for those using buggies before I receive a deluge of complaints)?
You could turn to Australian Brad Hogg as your inspiration. Hogg represented the ‘Baggy Greens’ in seven Tests and 123 one-day internationals until 2008, at which point he retired.
However, he was persuaded by his club side, Willerton, to play a couple of T20 matches. He was so successful that he was signed by the Perth Scorchers to play in the newly-formed Big Bash. Hogg was an unmitigated success, producing the best economy rate (of regular bowlers), leading the unfancied Scorchers to the final, which they lost.
As a result of his success, he then went one step further, being asked to represent the national side once again – aged 41!
In the first match against India he took the wicket of the dangerous Kohli as Australia swept to victory by 31 runs while in the second he was one of the few bowlers to emerge from an 8-wicket defeat with any respect, having snared Sehwag.
