Voges rewrites record books

ADAM Voges took 15 years to break into Test cricket, but yesterday faced just 100 balls for the fastest ever century at Blundstone Arena.

The 35-year-old might have blown out more birthday candles than anyone else in the Australian dressing room, but right now he has a higher Test average than any of them and is more than making up for lost time.

Not necessarily known as an entertainer, Voges yesterday peeled off 19 boundaries on his way to 174 not out off 204 balls, his highest ever Test score.

Today

a

double

century beckons for a man who has scored 1995 first-class runs this year.

“I am just enjoying it at the moment,” said Voges.

“The sun was out, it was a good batting wicket and the ball wasn’t doing a lot, I felt good right from ball one today.

“I played within myself, played the shots I knew I could score runs off.’’

Voges smashed 91 runs between lunch and tea in a scintillating performance that would have made David Warner proud.

A couple of months ago it looked as though Voges’ brief Test career might have been coming to an end when at 35 years of age, he had failed to make an impact in the Ashes series he was called up for.

However, since arriving back on home soil he has been close to faultless – smashing an equally impressive hundred on home soil in Perth against New Zealand.

Forever the humble team man, Voges was more focused on his record 317-run stand with Shaun Marsh rather than his own performance.

“We’re obviously good mates as well as teammates, so to be able to spend a lot of time together out there is fantastic,” he said.