NEWCASTLE veteran Michael Hogan is pushing emotion to one side as he strives to end a decade-long stint with Glamorgan with a victory that will ensure their promotion to the top flight of English county cricket.
Hogan, the 41-year-old former Merewether fast bowler, has announced he will retire after Glamorgan's clash with Sussex at Hove, which started overnight.
Glamorgan are currently third in the county championship's second division with 200 points, trailing Nottinghamshire (218) and Middlesex (209).
The top two teams earn promotion at the end of this final round of four-day matches. Notts play fifth-placed Durham and Middlesex face fourth-placed Worcestershire.
Hogan was given a hero's reception last week when he played his final home game at Sophia Gardens, taking a wicket with his last ball.
But in an interview with the Glamorgan website, he was clearly in no mood for nostalgia.
"It's nice but obviously in terms of the season gone, it's very important as we move forward, with the push for promotion," he said.
"It's more important that the team wins, so that we're still a chance [against Sussex]. There's no room for sentiment, as long as we win the game. But yeah, it was nice to get a wicket with essentially my last ball at Sophia Gardens."
Hogan admitted the odds were stacked against Glamorgan, given that they need other results to fall in their favour.
"It's difficult obviously," he said.
"Things will have to fall into place.
"But we're all looking forward to that. It's a quick turnaround as well.
"We're under no illusions. It'll be tough but we've given ourselves a chance in the last game of the season, so what more could we ask for?
"Tough task, but the boys have put in all year and I'm sure we'll be up for one last fight."
Hogan joined Glamorgan in 2013, four years after making his debut for Western Australia at the age of 28.
The late starter has since become a wicket-taking machine. In professional ranks, he has now dismissed more than 900 batsmen - 679 in red-ball matches, 118 in List A one-dayers and 132 in the Twenty20 format.
He will soon relocate his young family to a new house they have built in the Hunter and might well turn out for Merewether in the coming season.
"It's time to move on, I suppose," he said.
"It's just part of the game. Players move on, and hopefully someone will come in and take my place and do a better job.
"The club moves forward."
Glamorgan coach Matthew Maynard paid tribute to the towering right-armer, who has taken 70 wickets across the three formats this season.
"Hoges has led our attack brilliantly," Maynard said. "We can't replace him. He's been invaluable."
