Adam Voges is an attacking batsman who spent a lot of time on the fringes of Australia's limited-overs squads before breaking through in 2009. Since then he has been called on regularly without making the impact to guarantee his spot in every game. However, it is a run that he probably didn't expect after choosing to get married early in 2009 instead of joining the team on its tour of South Africa. He re-found favour, scored 697 first-class runs at 77.44 for Nottinghamshire, and was soon enjoying the best phase of his international career, including an ODI personal best of 72 against Scotland.

A strong hitter from Western Australia, Voges was originally most famous for his maiden one-day century in 2004-05, a 62-ball effort which was then the fastest in the country's domestic history. Not only did he break a record, he also clattered a sponsor's sign with one of seven sixes. Voges collected many plaudits for the innings and a $50,000 bonus for superb aim. His first Pura Cup hundred also came during that breakthrough summer and he finished with an eye-catching double of 362 four-day runs at 72.40 and 287 at 31.88 in the one-day competition. Backing up with another fine season, Voges picked up 512 runs in nine Pura Cup games in 2005-06 with a high of 178 against Queensland, and gathered three half-centuries and an average of almost 50 in the one-day event. His prize was a return to the Academy for a second stint after he captained the team on a development tour to India in 2004.

In 2006-07, he went from domestic attention-grabber to international newsmaker when, in the wake of Damien Martyn's unexpected retirement, he received a call to join Australia's squad for the third Test against England at the WACA. He wasn't needed and waited another two months for his international debut, which came at Hamilton in the Chappell-Hadlee Series. Voges almost didn't get a bat as Matthew Hayden dominated, but rushed to 16 not out off ten balls to finish the innings. He earned his first Cricket Australia contract in 2007 and made a pair of Twenty20 international appearances in 2007-08, when his domestic campaign consisted of 562 Pura Cup runs at 37.46 - a useful but not outstanding tally. Voges' one-day form was better and his 306 FR Cup runs at 51 helped him stay in the national frame. In 2008-09 he was recalled to the one-day squad for the Chappell-Hadlee Series, showing the selectors had not forgotten about him despite some modest returns.

Voges didn't have the impact he would have liked during his county stint with Nottinghamshire in 2008, but enjoyed a better second season with in 2009, when he averaged 77.44, scoring a century and six half-centuries in 10 innings. His third stint with the county was brief but memorable. Signed to replace David Hussey for the final three matches after the season after his compatriot returned to Victoria to prepare for the Champions League, Voges scored a magnificent 126 as Nottinghamshire achieved maximum batting points in the rain-affected final match against Lancashire, helping the county clinch the title.
ESPNcricinfo staff