The amazing high of confidence and the sober knowledge of cricket mortality have combined to inspire Australia batsman Adam Voges to the astonishing feats of his golden summer, according to his coach Justin Langer.
Voges was named man-of-the-match in the first Test against New Zealand, firing the tourists to an emphatic innings win in Wellington on Monday with a brilliant 239, his second double-century of his short test career.
Having compiled an unbeaten 269 against West Indies and 106 not out against the same team in his previous two trips to the crease, Voges amassed 614 runs since his last dismissal - way back in November during the maiden day-night Test against New Zealand in Adelaide.
That smashed a 12-year record held by Sachin Tendulkar who collected 497 runs between wickets in 2004. It also left Voges with a Don Bradman-esque average of 97.46 from 14 matches.
Not bad work for a man who played his first Test at the age of 35 in June - and promptly became the oldest debutant to score a century with an unbeaten 130 against West Indies at Roseau.
Langer, Voges’ coach and mentor at Sheffield Shield side Western Australia, has been thrilled to see a player he once helped through a time of crushing doubt become the game’s hottest player.
“It’s been magnificent. He could probably never have written a script of how well he’s playing,” Langer told Reuters in an interview on Monday.
“That said there’s no more deserving person. He’s an outstanding character. Like great players and great people do, he’s grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
“He’s confident and confidence is an amazing thing. And he knows that at his age he’s got to run with the opportunity for as long as he can, so he’s really hungry to do that.”