TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016 SPORTS Coach Langer thrills in Voges’ late flourish MELBOURNE: The amazing high of con- That smashed a 12-year record held and great people do, he’s grabbed his Australia captain rack up 1,358 runs at “I said ‘You are not going to make fidence and the sober knowledge of by Sachin Tendulkar who collected 497 opportunity with both hands. an average of 104.46 during an out- runs with that stance, go back to tap- cricket mortality have combined to runs between wickets in 2004. It also left “He’s confident and confidence is an standing Shield season in 2014-15. ping your bat and getting natural and inspire Australia batsman Adam Voges Voges with a Don Bradman-esque aver- amazing thing. And he knows that at his Just over two years before, however, relaxed and then watch the ball like a to the astonishing feats of his golden age of 97.46 from 14 matches. age he’s got to run with the opportunity Voges was in a major form trough and hawk, which is your trademark’. summer, according to his coach Justin Not bad work for a man who played for as long as he can, so he’s really hun- feared for his spot in the state side when “That was sort of a starting point in Langer. his first test at the age of 35 in June-and gry to do that.” Putting established team Langer took over as coach at the end of his turnaround in his fortunes. All of a Voges was named man-of-the-match promptly became the oldest debutant mates like opener David Warner and his 2012. Voges was sporting an awkward- sudden he was able to float, move his in the first test against New Zealand, fir- to score a century with an unbeaten 130 captain Steven Smith in the shade, looking batting stance somewhere feet properly, hit the ball on both sides ing the tourists to an emphatic innings against West Indies at Roseau. Voges’ 899 runs at a giddy average of between that of former England captain of the wicket.” The 36-year-old ‘rookie’, win in Wellington yesterday with a bril- Langer, Voges’ coach and mentor at 179.80 is Australia’s best from the seven Graham Gooch and ex-England batsman once picked in the test squad in 2006 liant 239, his second double-century of Sheffield Shield side Western Australia, matches over the summer. Peter Willey, who was famous for facing but denied a debut, will savour his his short test career. has been thrilled to see a player he once At the age of 35, Voges’ call-up for the bowlers front-on. moment all the more for having waited Having compiled an unbeaten 269 helped through a time of crushing touring squad to West Indies and “He had the most unorthodox, robot- so long, Langer said. against West Indies and 106 not out doubt become the game’s hottest play- England was something of a surprise for ic, mechanical stance I’d ever seen,” the “He’s super-fit and there’s no reason against the same team in his previous er. “It’s been magnificent. He could prob- local cricket fans, but not for Langer. 45-year-old Langer, who played 105 why he can’t keep playing,” Langer said. two trips to the crease, Voges amassed ably never have written a script of how tests for Australia, said. “It was the most “But he also knows he can’t get compla- 614 runs since his last dismissal-way well he’s playing,” Langer told Reuters in ROBOTIC, MECHANICAL STANCE bizarre thing I had ever seen. I remem- cent. He can’t stop scoring runs in club back in November during the maiden an interview yesterday. “That said there’s A gritty opening batsman in a succes- ber throwing balls at him at the WACA and Shield cricket because as soon as day-night test against New Zealand in no more deserving person. He’s an out- sion of great Australian teams from (ground) and I said ‘What are you doing?’ you do, ‘Mother Cricket’ will come and Adelaide. standing character. Like great players 1993-2007, Langer watched his Western He said ‘What do you mean?’. smack you.” —Reuters India underline credentials as World T20 favourites MUMBAI: Twenty20 series wins over Out of the eight seasons, we have played Australia and Sri Lanka have given top- seven seasons in India. ranked India plenty of cause for optimism “We have got a lot of players, especially as they launch their bid for a second world ones who are part of the team, who have crown in the sport’s shortest format on got very good experience of playing in home soil next month. India.” The return of batting mainstay Virat Champions in the inaugural edition of Kohli, rested for the Sri Lanka series, for the World Twenty20 in 2007, India blanked Ajinkya Rahane is likely to be the only hosts Australia 3-0 at the start of the year change to India’s starting side for the before returning home to rally for a 2-1 win upcoming Asia Cup T20 event in over Sri Lanka. Bangladesh and the subsequent World The three-match series started with a Twenty20. surprise defeat on a seamer-friendly sur- The strong form of India’s top order has face in Pune but India were spared the usu- left the middle to lower batsmen with limit- al outpouring of discontent that follows ed opportunities to impress, however, and any cricketing loss with convincing wins in while Dhoni would like to see that deficien- the remaining two matches. cy addressed, he realises it could be diffi- A green-tinged pitch like the one wit- cult to fulfil. nessed in Pune is unlikely to seen during “Not everybody has had a chance to bat the March 8-April 3 event and captain but we will keep facing this problem Mahendra Singh Dhoni has already identi- because our line-up is quite deep,” Dhoni fied his preferred 11 a month before the added. “We will try to give chances to a few hosts open their campaign against New of the players who haven’t batted so far. Zealand. But usually those who are batting close to “We are always a top contender when it six, seven and eight will have to develop comes to shorter formats,” Dhoni said after ways to play the big shots as soon as they India beat Sri Lanka by nine wickets in go in anyway.” Visakhapatnam on Sunday. “Also, with the Dhoni, who led the side to that victory World Cup to be held in India, we know the in 2007 and also the 50-over World Cup on spinners will come into the equation. It home soil four years later, was more relaxed gives us the added benefit. about his bowling options, saying the side “Added to that is the exposure of having had the right balance to tackle any condi- played the IPL (T20 tournament) over here. tions. — Reuters WELLINGTON: Doug Bracewell of New Zealand plays a shot during day four of the first cricket Test match between New Zealand and ustraliaA at Smith delights as Australia the Basin Reserve in Wellington yesterday. — AFP close in on top ranking WELLINGTON: Australia’s aim of regaining REVERSE SWING Australia crush NZ the top ranking in test cricket has taken a McCullum also praised Australia’s major step forward following yesterday’s bowlers for their efforts on the first morn- comprehensive victory over New Zealand ing and for their ability to eke out some in the opener of their two-match series, reverse swing when New Zealand batted a according to captain Steve Smith. second time. with day to spare Australia thumped the hosts by an “When you know you’ve got favourable innings and 52 runs at the Basin Reserve conditions it’s not always easy to execute as shortly after lunch on the fourth day to put well as they did for as long as they did,” themselves in prime position to usurp India McCullum said of his side being reduced to WELLINGTON: Australia inflicted a crushing battle of wits with Hazlewood who fired down a charge of the Test from the time Smith won the at the head of the ICC test rankings. 51-5 inside the first 12 overs in the first innings defeat on New Zealand with a day to series of good length deliveries, seaming the toss and New Zealand were out within two ses- The triumph means Smith’s side can innings. spare in the first Test in Wellington when they ball away and tempting the left-hander to chase sions on a green-topped wicket. afford to draw the second test starting in “(Then) the way they went about the dismissed the home side for 327 yesterday. In a the shot. As the wicket flattened out, Australia were Christchurch on Feb. 20 as any series victo- second innings on that wicket, they identi- Test that will be remembered for two majestic When Nicholls refused to take the bait, able to score more freely with their cause helped ry, whether it be by a 1-0 or 2-0 margin, will fied pretty quickly the ball wasn’t swinging innings by Adam Voges and Usman Khawaja, as Hazlewood switched to a short delivery which by umpire Richard Illingworth wrongly calling take Australia past India. conventionally. well as an umpiring howler, Australia won by an was pulled to the square-leg boundary.