Hogg ready this time to fill Warne's Test boots

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, Feb 23 AAP - Brad Hogg is ready.

The hyperactive, highly motivated chinaman bowler believes he will be a more fearless and relaxed player than when he made his inglorious debut almost seven years ago if he gets the nod as Australia's No. 1 spinner for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.

Shane Warne's suspension should lead to Hogg's Test elevation.

"It just comes down to backing yourself," Hogg said.

"I guarantee you I'll be backing myself if I get the opportunity to go out there and play Tests again."

Hogg's one and only Test was against India at Delhi way back in October, 1996.

He took 1-69, scored four and one and wasn't sighted again until he was chosen as 12th man for the fifth Ashes Test last month when Warne had a dislocated shoulder.

With Warne out of the picture, Hogg will have the inside running over Stuart MacGill and Nathan Hauritz for a permanent Test berth if he continues his sprightly performances for Australia's one-day side in the World Cup.

"If that day comes in the Test team down the road I'm just going to have to keep doing what I do," said Hogg.

He will be trying hard to relax.

"I wasn't too unhappy with the way things went in India - it was a good thing for me," he said. "It was just when I came back that things started falling away. I started putting too much pressure on myself. That's one thing you can't do and I've learned from that.

"You've just got to go out there and enjoy it and show your stuff, throw your stuff down there and if it's good enough on the day, it's good enough on the day.

"The last two to three years I've been really enjoying my cricket. There's a lot of confidence now. I've been making a few runs and getting a few wickets and just enjoying the company of my fellow players."

Warne was already taking Hogg under his wing before his inglorious exit from World Cup, passing on technical tricks of the trade and toughening him up mentally.

Hogg said he would call on Warne's words of wisdom - or simply call him on the telephone - if his purple patch suddenly went off-colour.

"All the time we've spent together has really added something to my bowling," said Hogg.

"Just his influence and being around him has really improved me mentally. It was good to be involved with him for a short period.

"If things aren't quite right I can remember a few things that he's said and switch straight back on. Being around the king of spin, if you don't take anything away from what he says to you, you're stupid, really."

Warne's phone has been running hot with commiserations for the ban dished out to him by the Australian Cricket Board's anti-drugs tribunal. Hogg might be calling for advice soon enough.

"He's always there to help - you can ring him up and he will help you out," Hogg said. "Down the track, when things settle down, I'll give him a call and see how things are going with him and if there any problems I've got, hopefully he can help me out.

"But hopefully I won't have any problems to put on him, hopefully I can cheer him up in the next couple of weeks."

They could not be more different, Warne and Hogg. The right-handed superstar millionaire showman and the modest left-handed Perth postal worker.

While Warne liked to camp himself at first slip, Hogg prefers to throw himself around in different positions in the field.

"If I can have an influence with a run out or a catch ... I'm always looking to do something spectacular in the field to help my fellow bowlers out and try to cut the runs down so our batsmen don't have to chase quite as many," he said.

Australia's Test squad for the Windies is due to be announced early next month.