23 September 2019

Voges to captain PM’s XI; PNG to play ACT XI in curtain raiser

| Charlotte
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Adam Voges. Photo: Ryan Pierse

Record-breaking Australian batsman and Western Australian and Perth Scorchers captain Adam Voges will captain the Prime Minister’s XI team against Sri Lanka for the annual cricket match at Manuka Oval on February 15.

Voges’ test match batting average of 61.87 is second only to Donald Bradman (among batsman who have played a minimum of 20 innings). Voges was included in the 2016 ICC Test Match Team of the Year.

Voges was a latecomer to Test cricket, scoring a century against the West Indies upon his debut for Australia in June 2015, aged 35, making him the oldest cricketer ever to make a century on debut. He recorded a second century in November 2015, against New Zealand, and later scored 269 not out, 106 not out, and 239 in consecutive innings from December 2015 to February 2016, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs between dismissals in Test cricket.

Right-handed middle-order batsman Voges led the Perth Scorchers to the BBL|04 title. His Test debut came off the back of a 2014-15 Sheffield Shield Player of the Year-winning performance which saw him make 1358 runs, the fourth most ever in a single season.

Voges has been a consistent performer for WA for more than a decade and has represented Australia in 31 ODI matches scoring a total of 870 runs at an average of 45.78. He has also represented Australia in seven T20 International matches scoring 139 runs at an average of 46.33.

Starting the 2006-07 season with two Pura Cup centuries, Voges was a surprise call-up for the third Ashes Test that season. He made his Australia debut in an ODI against New Zealand in February 2007 and scored his maiden international hundred upon his return to the side after two years out against the West Indies in February 2013.

Cricket Australia has confirmed today that the match will become a double-header, with the ICC’s 16th ranked nation, Papua New Guinea, to take on an ACT XI at Manuka Oval on the same day at 2:30pm.

Tickets to the Prime Minister’s XI match are available now at www.cricket.com.au/tickets.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull MP also announced that the Alannah & Madeline Foundation and Lord’s Taverners ACT would become the official charity partners of this summer’s match.

Adam Voges said he was honoured to be offered the opportunity to captain the PM’s side.

“It’s a tremendous honour to be selected to captain the Prime Minister’s XI and captain alongside the likes of past greats including Brett Lee, Mike Hussey Ricky Ponting and Chris Rogers,” the batsman said.

“Having played last year, I know how important this fixture is on the Australian cricketing calendar, and it is a great tradition.”

Pat Howard, Executive General Manager of Team Performance said that the match preceding the fixture of Papua New Guinea and an ACT XI was important to further strengthen cricket in the region.

Pictured above is 2017 PM’s XI captain Adam Voges. Photo: Ryan Pierse

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