Bat for hire Hodge loving life

Brad Hodge unleashes for Melbourne Stars in the BBL. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Limited

JUST shy of his 39th birthday, Brad Hodge is still loving cricket.

He's playing it differently to how he once did, but there's a freedom that comes with being a bat for hire.

The Victorian legend is playing up to 60 games of Twenty20 a year as he shares his wares with franchises across the globe, including Big Bash League side Melbourne Stars.

This very modern late career move suits him and his wife Megan, son Jesse (7) and daughter Sophie (4), to a T.

"I'm with my family probably seven to eight months a year, it's pretty much daddy daycare and having fun with the kids and the other four (months) I'm pretty much switched on to performing as a professional sportsman," Hodge said.

"It's actually a nice balance, it's worked out pretty well.

Brad Hodge in Melbourne to play with Melbourne Stars. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Limited

"There's a number of times, early on, you sacrifice a lot as a cricket player to try and play at the highest level and family often misses out.

"I missed my son's probably first two years of his life and it's nice to be able to give it back and try and give them exactly what a father should be doing."

Hodge injured the medial ligament in his knee in an outfield collision with Shane Watson playing for Rajasthan during October's Champions League.

He resumed playing last weekend for his Victorian Premier Cricket side Melbourne (he made 28 and 50) and next Friday night will mark his return to the big stage when the Stars open the BBL season against cross-town rival Melbourne Renegades.

He said his knee was feeling good but admitted he was lacking batting practice.

"It's been a little bit difficult not being able to run and bat and do all the things you need to do, but having said that, it's no big deal," Hodge said.

"I'm experienced enough to be able to work it out and do as much as I can in the next 10 days before Big Bash starts. It's all on track."

Brad Hodge smashes a huge six off Scorchers quick Jason Behrendorff. Source: News Limited

And the plan was for not much running between wickets on Friday week.

"The surgeon said don't worry about it, just hit it over the fence, you won't have to run," Hodge said with a laugh.

"That sounds like a good game plan to me."

Hodge, who with 5676 T20 runs sits second behind only West Indian master blaster Chris Gayle (5752) as the format's leading runscorer, said he had been in the form of his career.

"Cricket is still hard work but I'm loving it, I'm enjoying it and I'm not going to stop any time soon," he said.

"I got asked just recently do you think you're just as good now as you were 10 years ago and the answer for me is yes, I reckon, if not even better.

"There's no signs in any of my body which suggest that I'm going to slow down. My eyes are still perfect, I'm hitting the ball as good as ever. I'm hitting it further than probably a decade ago, so for T20 purposes it's perfect.

"I think three years is definitely the maximum, but we'll see how we're going after two."

Hodge retired from four-day cricket at the end of 2009 and in January last year called an end to his one-day career with the Bushrangers.

He has no regrets about giving away Sheffield Shield when he did.

In doing so he gave up any, however faint, hope of playing for Australia's Test side again (he played six Tests between 2005 and 2008).

"I'd sort of given up trying I guess," he said.

"Greg Shipperd (Victoria's coach) was talking the other day and he said, `I should have probably tried a little bit harder to talk you into not giving up then because you probably would have been playing a few more Tests'.

"But then maybe I wouldn't be where I'm at now. It's one of those sliding doors things.

"I tried my best, the best I could for a long period of time and I got out of cricket exactly what I wanted to and I'm still playing and still loving it now.

"I have no regrets at all from the path that I took."

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