Okay, he wasn’t Bradman, but Voges earned day in the sun
The boys look back at an intriguing career – and ahead to the opportunities presenting themselves to some new faces...
Geoff Lemon: Let’s be honest for a second. When a couple of human beings really know each other, a lot goes unsaid. Looking into your eyes right now, I know there’s only one thing you’re thinking about. One wispy dream in the ether. Adam Voges.
Adam Collins: It’s true. There was no sadder story than his demise this southern summer. I interviewed him when he was captaining Middlesex before the Sri Lankan tour, and he was getting around with a Test average of 95. That average dropped, but will remain epic in perpetuity. I hope it’s remembered that he did it the hard way to get there, and delivered as soon as he arrived.
GL: Yeah, some topics so easily show up narrow-mindedness. An article comes out saying: “Voges retires with secondbest average since Bradman.” And it’s true, 61.87, it’s an amazing number. That’s all it is. Then 200 pedants jump on the comments saying: “Actually it’s too small a sample, all based on one summer, blah blah.” Like we didn’t already know that? We knew that. So did he. No one has been more satirical about his numbers than A.C. Voges. No one is saying he’s Braddles. But none of that is the point, is it? Had a couple of great series, a couple of poor ones, who’s to say what might have happened over a longer career. He had a short one, an entertaining one, and a highly fulfilling one.
AC: And even then, 20 Tests is 19 more than he would have dreamed of when starting out. It has to be remembered that he had to wait exactly 3,100 days between first getting called up to the Australian Test squad and pulling on his own baggy green. That debut ton in Dominica is one of the more special of recent years, showing the sort of poise against world-class leg-spin that defied his newcomer status. Literally matchwinning. Then again in England when it looked to be over as soon as it had begun, really. He was the one who gutsed it out at Trent Bridge in the second innings when literally all was lost. He deserved the riches when it was time to cash in. And he’s left the stage with the same dignity that he arrived with. Not many can say that. Well played, Adam.
GL: Adams of the world unite. My favourite stat: that 269 not out in Hobart, no one has made a score that big at a higher strike rate except Sehwag. About 40 times, mind you. But still. Vogey had gears. He signed off nicely captaining the Prime Minister’s XI this last week, an unbeaten fifty off not many. Five twos and a boundary from the last over. Classic understatement. Runs in that game, too, for the other next Bradman in a long line of next Bradmans, Sam Heazlett. The mystery ball of Australian batsmen.
AC: Ah yes. As the old song went. “Our Sam Heazlett, every Aussie dips his lid to you.” I heard he learned how to bat with a single stump and a water tank.
GL: I heard he learned to bat by having balls fired at him by a tank.
AC: I think we should probably embrace the lad. It’s obvious that he’s going to be
a fixture of Australian squads for a long time to come. The Shaun Marsh of his generation.
GL: We need another one, our old Shaun Marsh is almost broken.
AC: To be fair, he debuted before the Moon Landing. But there he’ll be, probably opening the innings in Pune next week.
GL: That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for the National Selection Panel. Another giant leap this week, before the Tests. We’ve got cricket in Geelong. For those in England unfamiliar with its majesty, Geelong is a coastal regional gateway in southern Victoria. Only the second time a non-capital Australian city will have an international game, after Cairns jagged an under-the-radar, under-the-table, under-the-rug Test or two in the Steve Waugh era. And best of all, it’s a local boy leading the side – Geelong’s own Aaron Finch captaining the T20s down at the home of the National Wool Museum.
AC: If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Old Sleepy Hollow itself. What a time to be alive. Some of my most treasured childhood afternoons were travelling down the Geelong Road to be abused by the local ferals when watching the footy. But they love it, and have earned the chance. And this might be an audition for a Big Bash franchise (hate that word, they’re not even franchises!). Gut feel on expanding the BBL?
GL: As a lifelong bearer of the blue and white hoops donned by the local AFL club, I would leap at the chance to follow the same in cricket. James Sutherland is a Cats fan as well, so he’s sympathetic. Made the right noises when he was asked. Maybe in ten years it will be real.
AC: As usual we’ve left plenty on the park. Why can’t Chadd Sayers play for Australia? He’s really good at bowling, y’know? Is it because of his name? And can we get a formal substitution rule already? Maybe next week.
GL: Poor Travis Head got roasted as South Australia captain for not allowing a concussion substitute against Victoria, but if he had they would have forfeited first-class status for the match. It’s a problem that needs sorting. Next week, though, Adam, you’ll be India. Four Tests with this raw Test side, it’s going to be a journey.
AC: One we can embrace with expectations set as low as they can be for their prospects. Clever management, if you ask me. I’ll speak to you from Pune.
GL: I’ve fallen for that line too many times before.
He deserved the riches when it was time to cash in. And he’s left with the same dignity he arrived with. Not many can say that. Well played, Adam