Arise Sir Voges, slayer of the Kiwis.
Adam Voges achieved the unthinkable on Saturday, lifting his overall Test average to 100.33 with an unbeaten 176 that put Australia in complete control of the first trans-Tasman Test.
The tourists were 6-463 at stumps on day two of the clash in Wellington, holding a 280-run lead and all the aces.
Voges all but batted New Zealand out of the two-Test series opener with the help of Usman Khawaja, who scored 140.
Voges received a standing ovation from the Basin Reserve crowd, having inched past Don Bradman’s iconic average of 99.94.
The number will fall if he is dismissed – although that hasn’t happened in Test cricket since November.
“I already have (nicknamed him Don). He’s got an average higher than Don at the moment,” Khawaja said.
“I might have to call him Sir Voges.
“He’s making hundreds and big hundreds, which is important for the team.
“The way he’s been batting lately it honestly feels like he’s not going to get out sometimes. ”
That was true on day two but the same can’t be said of the final over on day one.
Voges was on seven when he shouldered arms and was clean bowled by Doug Bracewell, only for umpire Richard Illingworth to incorrectly signal no-ball.
Replays confirmed Bracewell had part of his foot behind the line.
“The umpire had his arm out I was like happy days … it’s an illegal delivery,” Khawaja recalled.
“I didn’t realise the controversy that was to follow.”
New Zealand bowling coach Dimitri Mascarenhas conceded the howler sapped the energy of his side.
“I’m pretty sure it did overnight. That was yesterday’s news and today we just had to get on with it and knock him over again,” Mascarenhas said.
“A tough one to take but we’ve just got to get on with it.
“It’s pretty amazing; he’s in a rich vein of form and he’s just not getting out at the moment.”
Voges, who started the Test with an average of 85.66, rewrote the record books on several fronts.
Doug Walters and Greg Chappell are the only Australians to have produced a higher Test score in New Zealand.
It’s also now been 551 runs since Voges was out in Test cricket.
The 36-year-old, coming off unbeaten digs of 269 and 106 against West Indies, bettered Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 497 runs between dismissals.
“It was almost faultless,” Khawaja said.
“He batted very sensibly, patiently at the start. A lot of good shots went straight to fielders, he didn’t get frustrated with it.”
NZ needed quick wickets on day two but came up with none in the morning session, when Khawaja scored freely to extend a recovery that was sorely needed at 2-5 on day one.
Trent Boult took the second new ball and removed Khawaja and Mitch Marsh in the space of three deliveries to raise NZ’s spirits after lunch.
Khawaja was trapped lbw by an inswinger, while Boult shocked himself by plucking a spectacular one-handed catch to dismiss Marsh for a duck.
Local hopes of a fightback proved misplaced.
Voges put on a 96-run stand with Peter Nevill, while Peter Siddle finished 29 not out.
Watch more sports videos at The Roar TV.
Download the app NOW to make sure you never miss a must-see sporting moment.
The Roar TV – it’s your sports video.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
It seems franchise cricket has forgotten about the great battle between bat and ball. In fact, this season in the IPL there is no battle at all.
The mammoth rise of Jake Fraser-McGurk - his enormous potential and the destructive shot-making that he possesses makes him a very tempting option.
Marcus Stoinis produced his first IPL century and it was a beauty. He went 6, 4, 4, 4 to finish off the Lucknow Super…
Xavier Bartlett has been permission to extend his cricketing education with a spell of T20s in England, playing in the Blast competition for Kent…
Three-Test spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has signed with Tasmania in a bid for red-ball game time ahead of Australia's tour of Sri Lanka next summer.…
Last week, you read about the Matt XI, a compilation of the best cricketers ever to represent the name Matt. And to be fair,…
