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Windies and Kiwi bowlers are high on Adam Voges' Christmas card list

Adam Voges hung up his helmet with a ridiculous Test average. (AAP/Dave Hunt)
Expert
15th February, 2017
29

Adam Voges hasn’t worn the baggy green since November last year, but at 37 he’s called it a day internationally after an extraordinary career.

It started with a debut century against the West Indies at Roseau at 35 and 247 days – the oldest to achieve the feat.

He could only manage a couple of runs in his last dig against South Africa at Bellerive.

But midway through his 31 visits to the crease, Voges enjoyed a golden streak even Don Bradman would have been proud of with 269*, 106*, and 239 at an average of 614.

The Don only made three Test centuries on the trot once in 80 digs with 132, 127*, and 201 for 460 runs at an average of 230.

Only six Test batsmen in history, who have batted at least 20 times, have averaged over 60 in their careers.

Don Bradman (99.94) scored 18 on debut against England at Brisbane in 1928, and the world’s most famous duck in his final dig at The Oval in 1948.

Adam Voges (61.87) cracked 130* on debut in 2015, and just two in his final dig against South Africa last year.

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South African Graeme Pollock (60.97) made 25 on debut against Australia at Brisbane in 1963, and four against Australia in his last dig at Port Elizabeth, his home town, in 1970.

West Indian George Headley (60.83) scored 21 on debut against England at Bridgetown in 1930, and one in his final dig against England at Kingston in 1934.

Englishman Herbert Sutcliffe (60.73) opened with 64 on debut against South Africa at Edgbaston in 1924, and 38 in his last dig at Lord’s against South Africa in 1935.

Steve Smith (60.13) is the only other owner of a 60-plus average, having scored just one batting eight against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010, and his last appearance was 59 against Pakistan at the SCG last January.

Those stats are just scratching the surface, there are a whole heap of runs in store yet for the Australian skipper.

Steve Smith celebrates a run out

But Adam Voges is the story, and what an incredible story it is, especially why the Windies and Kiwi bowlers are high on Voges’ Christmas card list.

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He has batted four times with three out outs for 542 runs – average a whopping 542.

Against the Black Caps he has batted nine times with three not outs for 594 runs – still a Bradmanesque average of 99.00

Now for mere mortal stats.

Against England he batted eight times with one not out for 201 runs at 28.71.

Against Sri Lanka after six digs for 118 runs – average 19.66 – and against South Africa after four digs scoring 30 at an average of 7.50.

From here on in Adam Voges will be leading Western Australia, showing no signs about calling a first class cricket halt.

But his name is cemented in cricket folklore as second only to The Don on career Test averages.

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It will take one helluva career from a current batsmen, or maybe one not yet born, to dislodge him.

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