As England watched the rain fall at Headingley and pondered their final day of red-ball cricket before the Ashes whirs into life in Cardiff on 8 July, one in which they will need to bat out three sessions to claim a series victory against New Zealand, over in Dominica Australia were completing their penultimate training session for the first Test with West Indies.
The preparations of Michael Clarke’s side have been hit by the news that the opening batsman Chris Rogers has been ruled out of this first Test of the two‑match series with concussion following a blow to the head suffered against a local net bowler on Sunday, leaving David Warner looking for a new partner at the top of the order.
With Shaun Marsh likely to take the role, a spot in the middle order has become available and the uncapped Adam Voges, who cut short his time spent captaining Middlesex in county cricket this summer, is now poised at 35 to become their second-oldest batsman to make his Test debut.
That number bears little relevance for Australia, it seems, with their winter touring party for the Caribbean and England containing 10 players in their fourth decade. Instead they go for the digits on the scorecard. Voges has been impossible to ignore after gorging himself for Western Australia to the tune of 1,358 runs in 11 matches during last winter’s Sheffield Shield, at an average of 104.46.
Capped 38 times in limited-overs cricket the former Nottinghamshire batsman had all but given up on his dream of wearing the Baggy Green until the call-up of Rogers for the 2013 Ashes, aged 35 at the time, prompted a rethink.
“There were times when I thought my chance had gone,” said Voges, after making 52 in Australia’s one-off warm-up in Antigua last week. “But that selection showed guys who get a lot of runs can still get their chance, irrespective of age or experience.
“Seeing that unfold with Buck [Rogers] gave me hope. It is a shame it has taken me so long to get that opportunity but now it’s here I plan to grab it with both hands.”
Getting the call-up the day after Australia’s World Cup final victory at the end of March meant breaking the news to the Middlesex director of cricket, Angus Fraser, that his summer at Lord’s would be cut short in mid‑May. “It was a huge honour to get the captaincy and so, yes, it was a sheepish phone call to Gus,” said Voges.
“He was brilliant, to be honest – he’s one of the nicest guys in cricket – and he knew what this chance late in my career meant to me.”
Voges is a popular player but has not always felt the love from the Australian public. He found himself at the centre of a national debate when, in 2009 and with only three caps to his name, he risked his international future by pulling out of a one-day tour of South Africa to marry.
“There was a debate in the media and it split a lot of people – 50% understood, 50% didn’t. Fair enough,” said Voges. “I didn’t read the papers much after that but it was never about my love for my country – I have always dreamed of representing Australia. But there are things in life that are more important and we now have two beautiful children. Marriage and family come before anything. I have always believed that. It was how I was brought up.”
While the all-rounder Mitchell Marsh may yet pip him to the final selection to face West Indies, who drew 1-1 with England, Voges’ experience in England should work in his favour come the Ashes, after he spent five seasons at Nottinghamshire from 2008 to 2012 before his brief spell at Middlesex this summer.
“It’s hard not to dream about the Ashes but I have to stay in the present and how I’m going now,” he said. Does he consider Australia favourites for the Ashes? “I think so. But we have this series in the West Indies and they are playing good cricket. And so are England. Joe Root is batting beautifully, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Board will always be a threat. That first Test in Cardiff will be huge and whoever can grab the momentum will probably run with it.
“Ask an average punter and they will say Australia are favourites but maybe they forget England have won the last three Ashes series at home. I don’t think that fact will be lost on our side but we will come with a lot of confidence.”
