Oz all-rounder Voges puts off cricket for marriage

Melbourne, Mar 17 (ANI): Australian batsman Adam Voges has made the toughest decision of his cricketing career - choosing to attend his own wedding rather than play for Australia in their limited overs series in South Africa.

Voges had planned to get married on April 5, the same day of Australia's second one-dayer against South Africa.

He asked Cricket Australia whether he could miss that fixture, fly back home for the wedding before rejoining the squad in South Africa.

But when that request was denied, Voges made the tough decision to pull out of the touring party so he could fulfill his wedding commitments, a decision that perhaps puts his future involvement in Australia's one-day set-up at risk.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Voges has been replaced in the squad by Western Australia teammate Marcus North.

National selection panel chairman Andrew Hilditch said Voges' application for temporary leave simply wasn't feasible.

"This would have rendered him unavailable for at least one if not two ODI's of the five-match series," Hilditch said.

"Given the risk of injury in Adam's absence which could have left the Australian squad one batsman short for the tour, the NSP weren't able to meet that request. Accordingly Adam informed us yesterday that he was withdrawing from the tour. Obviously this is a difficult decision for Adam to make and the NSP understands the position he's in and the decision he's made," Hilditch added.

Voges, 29, has played three Twenty20 and one 50-over match for Australia. (ANI)