VOGES UNDECIDED OVER HIS COUNTY FUTURE
ADAM VOGES remains undecided whether Middlesex’s relegation decider with Somerset this week will be his last in first-class cricket.
The former Australian Test star, who skippers the tenants of Lord’s in the do-or-die clash at Taunton, called it quits in Sheffield Shield Cricket back home at the end of the Australian summer.
And after an injury-hit campaign in NW8 many expected Voges would follow in the footsteps of the great Kumar Sangakkara in confirming a future minus the willow. It seems, however, win or lose this week, the right-hander – who turns 38 on October 4, is in no hurry to have his cricketing obituary written.
“I’m still keeping a very open mind at this stage,” said Voges about his playing future. “I’d like to get through the last game and see how it pans out and I’ll try not to make those decisions straight after the end of the season.
“I want to take time, take stock, see how the body feels and see if I’ve got the motivation to go around again next year. We can answer that a bit later on.”
The fact Angus Fraser’s men still had a chance to preserve their Division One status as they headed south-west was largely down to Steven Finn’s 8-79 in their 36-run win over Lancashire at the home of cricket last week.
It was Finn’s first five-wicket haul since the Ashes series of 2015 and his spell was all the more meritorious given the firstinnings injury to teammate Toby Roland-Jones and the subsequent demise of Ollie Rayner, which left the hosts with just three fit bowlers.
Roland-Jones was subsequently diagnosed with a stress fracture of the back, making him a serious doubt for the Ashes tour starting in November.
Finn’s contribution could therefore serve as a timely audition and Voges for one would be surprised if England don’t choose to unleash the Middlesex player on his fellow countrymen.
“If he bowls like that, he should go to Australia this winter, 100 per cent,” added the Aussie.
“Steven bowled as well as I’ve ever seen him bowl. We were a bowler down and that became two with Ollie suffering his dodgy side, so for him [Finn] to stand up the way he did and lead the attack was superb.
“He wanted to bowl every over from the pavilion end and that was a good sign that he didn’t want the ball taken out of his hand.
“He had rhythm, his pace was up and his areas were good on a wicket where there was certainly enough there for him.”