Hussey backs Voges to fire in Ashes

Michael Hussey couldn't be happier to see Adam Voges having success after a decade-long journey to Test cricket and has backed his experience in English conditions to come to the fore in the Ashes.

The 35-year-old Voges looks to have cemented his place in the Australian middle-order with his crucial 130 on debut against the West Indies earlier this month - ahead of the Ashes - which starts on July 8 in Cardiff.

Like Hussey, fellow Western Australian Voges had to wait a long time to make his Test debut.

"He's a great person and a great character ... he's really belted down the door with great performances for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield," the 40-year-old former Test star Hussey said.

"To get an opportunity in the West Indies and play so well in his first Test match is a real credit to his character and to his skill.

"He's played a lot of county cricket and I think that's going to be very important.

"He's very mature and has a lot of experience, so I think he'd be an ideal man in the middle-order for Australia." 

Watch: Voges scores ton in 100th Shield match

Voges started his county career at Hampshire in 2007 before moving to Nottinghamshire until 2012 and most recently Middlesex.

He's been prolific in first-class cricket at county and Sheffield Shield level with over 11,000 runs.

A Shield campaign where he scored 1358 runs at 104.46 before hitting three 50s and a century during a four-game stint with Middlesex before the Caribbean tour.

Batting alongside Test No.11 Josh Hazlewood, Voges recalls the moment he reached triple-figures for the first time.

"Obviously I'd had an excellent partnership with Josh Hazlewood," Voges said. 

"I was on 99 and he blocked that ball, the last ball from that over and there was a big roar from the crowd. 

"We hadn't been taken the runs from the first couple of balls from the over and I came down and said 'I might take the first one this time mate' and he said 'yeah, that's OK’. 

"Massive excitement. Massive relief. 

"I just yelled I think. I just had my hands up in the air yelling. Just pure elation. 

"It's been a long road, it's been a lot of hard work. 

"Just to get the opportunity firstly and then to make the most of it and get a hundred on debut, is something I've been thinking about for a long time."

But Hussey is adamant the English won't be pushovers in the Ashes.

"England are starting to play some more confident cricket. England in their own conditions are always tough," he said.

"I think it's going to be a really close series. It's going to be great to watch good positive cricket from both teams and I'm hoping Australian can get over the line." 

Mike Hussey: Strike Bowler

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