Hogg posts top fitness record

Brad Hogg may be one of Australia's lowest-profile players, but he is No. 1 when it comes to endurance. Hogg, a former postman, easily won the squad's bleep test - a shuttle run where the distance between alarms is gradually reduced - ahead of Michael Clarke, Damien Martyn and Mike Hussey yesterday.

"As the years go by I want to make sure the legs are still there and I'm staying fit," Hogg, who has played four Tests and 61 ODIs, told AAP. "My goal is to be the fittest in the team. Everyone is better than me at something so I have got to stay ahead somehow." Hogg's mark of 14.6 was comfortably above Clarke's 13.11.

It wasn't a good exercise for Stuart MacGill and Nathan Bracken, who were beaten by John Buchanan, the 52-year-old coach. The squad leaves for London tomorrow.