Alex Carey Archives

Snicko Operator admits mistake in Carey’s controversial not out

ADELAIDE: Controversy erupted as Australia wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey wrongfully survived a caught behind England review on the opening day of the third Ashes Test here on Wednesday.

Carey hit 106 off 143 balls on his home ground, which kept Australia afloat at stumps as the scorecard read 326-8.

His knock hauled Australia out of trouble after losing two quick wickets in the first over after lunch. However, he could have been out way too early from his landmark.

The left-handed batter survived a caught behind review when he was batting on 72, and the scoreboard read 245-6.

During the second ball of the 62nd over, England appealed for a caught behind and reviewed it straight away, which was eventually turned down by umpire Ahsan Raza.

There was an evident noise as the ball went past Carey’s outside edge, whereas a large spike was also seen on Snicko technology.

However, TV umpire Chris Gaffaney swiftly ruled the not-out decision should be upheld because the Snicko spike showed up before the ball had reached the bat.

Later on, the operator of the Snicko technology, BBG Sports, admitted the mistake that led to Carey’s wrongful survival of an England review.

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Carey, who went on to make 106 having been on 72 at the time of the review, admitted during a press conference after the close that he thought he had edged the delivery.

Later on Wednesday, BBG Sports, the company that owns Snicko, accepted culpability for the mistake.

Notably, the sound used for the review was taken from the stump microphone at the bowlers’ end rather than the striker’s end, which caused a discrepancy between the pictures and the sound wave shown to TV umpire Chris Gaffaney.

“Given that Alex Carey admitted he had hit the ball in question, the only conclusion that can be drawn from this, is that the Snicko operator at the time must have selected the incorrect stump mic for audio processing,” BBG Sports said.

“In light of this, BBG Sports takes full responsibility for the error,” it added.

For the unversed, the decision review system (DRS) technology, which is mandatory in ICC World Test Championship matches, is provided by the host TV broadcaster for the home team.

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Alex Carey pays tribute to late father after home Ashes century

ADELAIDE: An emotional Alex Carey called his 106 on home soil in front of family and friends in the third Ashes Test a “special moment” on Wednesday, with the century coming just months after his father died.

The 34-year-old, who produced a wicketkeeping masterclass during the second Test at Brisbane, showed his prowess with the bat to steer Australia to 326-8 at stumps on day one against England.

It was his third Test century, his first in an Ashes series, and an innings to savour with his friends and family watching.

Carey punched the air and looked to the heavens when he reached the milestone as his wife, Eloise, sobbed in the stands.

It was the first time Carey had reached three figures since his father Gordon died after a battle with leukaemia in September, and he called it a “special moment”.

“Probably won’t go into too much depth thinking through the reasons why, I’ll probably get emotional, but yeah, it was great,” he said.

“Dad played the biggest role probably in my cricket, coached me all the way through as dads want to do,” he added.

“Sort of let me go once I got into my older teenage years, but would always shoot a message and (say) put the reverse sweep away and keep hard on me.”

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Carey’s 106 off 143 balls hauled Australia out of trouble after losing two quick wickets in the first over after lunch, then Usman Khawaja departed for a gritty 82.

He shared in partnerships with Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to get the hosts back on track as they target an unassailable 3-0 series lead.

“Really, a little bit of a sticky situation there straight after lunch,” he said. “So to form a partnership with Uzzie (Khawaja), and I guess keep us in the mix, was special.

“Would love to have scored more runs and been there a bit longer. But to be able to take the helmet off and look up to the heavens, it was a really nice moment.”

Khawaja was parachuted in at the last moment when Steve Smith pulled out with illness just before the toss.

He came in at four after being overlooked as opener in favour of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, with many fearing it spelt the end of his career.

But Alex Carey said Usman Khawaja still had plenty to give the team.

“I still think he’s got so much to give to this group,” he said. “We saw him again today, and he played really well.”

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Alex Carey slams ton as Australia seize upper hand on day one

ADELAIDE: A composed Alex Carey slammed a majestic 106 on his home ground, and Usman Khawaja hit a defiant 82 on Wednesday to put Australia in the driving seat of the third Ashes Test against England.

Batting after captain Pat Cummins won the toss as temperatures topped 36 Celsius at Adelaide Oval, the hosts were 326-8 at stumps on day one after the shock news of Steve Smith being ruled out with illness.

Mitchell Starc was not out 33 at Stumps, and Nathan Lyon was yet to score.

A tireless Jofra Archer ended with 3-29 on a tough day toiling in the field.

Australia lead the five-Test series 2-0 and will retain the Ashes if they win or draw, after back-to-back eight-wicket thumpings in Perth and Brisbane.

Smith, who has more than 10,000 runs, had been feeling unwell in the lead-up but was named in the side. He was on the field during the morning warm-up but left 20 minutes before the toss, shaking his head.

His absence gave an unexpected chance for Khawaja, who turns 39 on Thursday and was overlooked as opener in favour of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, with many fearing it spelt the end of his career.

Khawaja, who missed Brisbane after suffering back spasms in Perth, grabbed his chance in a stoic knock after being handed a reprieve when dropped on five.

He was eventually out just before tea, slog-sweeping to Josh Tongue in the deep off the spin of Will Jacks.

Carey picked up the mantle, first alongside Josh Inglis (32), then Pat Cummins (13), and latterly Starc, who once more showed his prowess with the bat.

He hit eight fours and a six in his third Test century, bringing up the milestone in front of family, friends and 56,298 fans — the biggest cricket crowd ever at the venue.

A blistering first over after lunch from Archer had left Australia reeling. He removed Marnus Labuschagne for 19 with his first ball after the interval.

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Two deliveries later, Cameron Green was gone, with Brydon Carse collecting catches at midwicket to dismiss both.

Inglis and Cummins also fell in the final session to Tongue and Carse, respectively. Weatherald was earlier out for 18 and Head for 10.

Players from both teams were wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting.

A moment of silence was held before the game, with security tightened at a packed Adelaide Oval where flags were flying at half-mast.

Weatherald was in fine early touch, clobbering a series of boundaries from Carse, who was too short and wide.

But the opener’s gung-ho approach cost him against the pace of Archer, who fired down a bouncer and induced a top edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Head followed next over, with Zak Crawley taking a sensational instinctive catch low to his left at short cover off a fuller ball from Carse.

That brought Khawaja to the crease, and he was fortunate to survive when Harry Brook dropped a sitter at second slip.

Labuschagne lobbed an easy catch to Carse on their return, then incredibly Green repeated the feat in the softest of dismissals.

Khawaja brought up his 28th Test 50 to big cheers, but his bid for a first century since his 232 against Sri Lanka, nearly two years ago, was dashed.

Alex Carey had a life on 52 when Carse put down a difficult chance in the covers, and the 34-year-old made the most of it.

He kept the scoreboard ticking over to reach his hundred before top-edging Jacks to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith late in the day.

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Islamabad United suffer major blow ahead of PSL 10 opener against Lahore Qalandars

Defending champions Islamabad United have been dealt an early blow ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 opener, as Australian wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey has opted out of the tournament.

United are all set to begin their title defense today against Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. But just hours before the big clash, news broke that Carey would not be joining the squad due to domestic commitments in Australia.

Carey was roped in as a partial replacement for South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen, who is yet to arrive in Pakistan.

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The management of Islamabad United has now confirmed that Carey will not be available for the upcoming season, a decision that weighs heavily on the team. They have also shared encouraging news that Van der Dussen is anticipated to join the squad shortly.

The loss of a seasoned player like Alex Carey, renowned for his composed demeanor and adeptness in high-stakes moments, creates a noticeable void in the team’s depth as they prepare to embark on the tournament.

His absence leaves a pivotal gap that will be felt on and off the field, as his experience is invaluable in guiding younger players through the pressures of competition.

PSL 10 will feature 34 matches between April 11 and May 18 across four venues — Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Multan.

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Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium is set to host 13 matches, including the two Eliminators and the final. Rawalpindi, which hosts tonight’s opener, will stage 11 games, including the first Qualifier.

Meanwhile, Karachi and Multan will each host five matches. The schedule also includes three double-headers — two on Saturdays and one on Labour Day (May 1).

Islamabad United Squad for PSL 10

Shadab Khan (c), Matthew Short, Naseem Shah, Imad Wasim, Azam Khan, Jason Holder, Ben Dwarhuis, Salman Ali Agha, Haider Ali, Andries Gous, Colin Munro, Muhammad Nawaz, Rumman Raees, Salman Irshad, Alex Carey, Hunain Shah, Saad Masood, Riley Meredith, Rassie van der Dussen.

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Clutch Carey aids Australia to thump England in second ODI

LEEDS: Alex Carey scored a defiant half-century which turned out to be a cornerstone in leading Australia to a statement 68-run victory over England in the second ODI of the five-match series here at Headingley on Saturday.

Australia were reeling at 221/9 in 36.3 overs despite a counter-punching half-century by skipper Mitchell Marsh in the middle.

But Carey led them out of trouble and to a decent total of 270 all out with a one-sided partnership with Josh Hazlewood.

Carey remained the top-scorer for Australia with a 67-ball 74, laced up with eight fours and three sixes. He was finally dismissed by Olly Stone in the 45th over.

Earlier, after being put into bat first, the visitors lost their in-form opener Travis Head (29) early with just 46 runs on the board in the ninth over, which paved the way for Marsh’s onslaught.

The right-handed batter smashed six fours and three sixes on his way to a 59-ball 60 before eventually falling victim to Jacob Bethell in the 26th over, reducing Australia to 151/5.

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Australia kept on losing wickets and eventually slipped to just one wicket away from bundling out on a modest total before Alex Carey turned the tide in their favour.

Brydon Carse was the star with the ball for England, picking up three wickets. He was followed by Bethell, Adil Rashid and Potts, who bagged two each.

The 271-run target turned out to be sufficient for new-look England, who had slipped to 56/5 inside 10 overs.

Wicketkeeper batter Jamie Smith offered some fightback with a cautious 49 until falling victim to Hazlewood in the 31st over, leaving England in tatters at 159/7.

England’s batting tail was toothless against a disciplined Australia bowling attack as their remaining three wickets only yielded 43 runs, resulting in the home side being eventually booked on 202 with around 10 overs to spare.

Mitchell Starc led Australia’s bowling charge with three wickets. He was backed by fellow pacer Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Hardie, who took two apiece.

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Alex Carey steers Australia to whitewash New Zealand in Tests

CHRISTCHURCH: An unbeaten 98 from Alex Carey dragged Australia to victory over New Zealand by three wickets in a thrilling second Test on Monday to give the tourists a 2-0 sweep of the two-match series.

Carey and Mitchell Marsh have struggled for form but their formidable 140-run partnership rescued Australia at the Hagley Oval.

New Zealand’s wait for a first home Test victory over their neighbours in more than three decades goes on.

Carey and Marsh produced a vital partnership when the tourists had their backs to the wall at 80-5 in their chase of 279.

At 220-5, a nail-biting Test took another turn on Monday afternoon when Black Caps seamer Ben Sears claimed Marsh and Mitchell Starc in successive deliveries.

It left Australia needing a further 59 runs with three wickets remaining.

Skipper Cummins joined Carey to bring the tourists home.

“I kept to a really solid game plan and read the conditions and read the bowlers,” Carey said.

“I guess losing one wicket this morning was okay. We got through to lunch and then that’s when the game opened up a little bit and the partnership started to flow.”

The series sweep earned Australia valuable points in the World Test Championship standings.

New Zealand were left deflated after starting the fourth day with high hopes of a first home Test victory over Australia in 31 years.

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When Australia resumed the day at 77-4, after a one-hour delay because of rain, Marsh was dropped on 28 by Rachin Ravindra in the second over. Travis Head was out on the next ball from Southee.

New Zealand were buoyant, aware that Marsh and Carey were struggling for form, with Marsh coming off back-to-back ducks.

Carey had compiled just 27 from his three previous innings in the series.

The Australian pair found their touch when it mattered most.

Rather than be cautious, they went on the attack at more than five an over in the morning session as batting conditions became easier with the ageing ball.

The breakthrough New Zealand desperately sought came after lunch when debutant Sears took his double.

Marsh, who made 80 off 102 deliveries, went lbw and Starc followed first ball, caught at square leg by Will Young.

The hat-trick ball however was wide of the mark and the new batsman Cummins edged it for four.

Carey had an anxious moment when given out lbw to Matt Henry on 19 but on review, the ball tracker placed the ball outside leg stump.

He gave few other chances in a 123-ball innings which included 15 boundaries.

For New Zealand, Sears took 4-90 while Henry’s 2-94 gave him nine wickets for the Test.

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Australia eye victory after Carey century in 2nd South Africa Test

MELBOURNE: Australia closed in on winning the second Test and the series against South Africa on Wednesday after Alex Carey struck a maiden century to leave them in a commanding position.

The hosts declared at tea on 575-8 on day three with an ominous lead of 386 after South Africa were bowled out in their first innings for 189.

In reply, the Proteas were 15-1 when play was abandoned early at the Melbourne Cricket Ground due to persistent drizzle.

Their bid to save the Test, and the three-match series after losing the opener in Brisbane, got off to a horror start with under-pressure skipper Dean Elgar caught by Carey off Pat Cummins without scoring in the second over.

Theunis de Bruyn, who was dropped by David Warner on three, was not out six alongside Sarel Erwee on seven.

Wicketkeeper Carey, playing in his 14th Test, was superb in reaching three figures for the first time before he was caught and bowled by Marco Jansen for 111.

At the declaration, a battling Cameron Green was not out 51 despite a fractured finger, alongside Mitchell Starc on 10.

Carey and Green piled on the misery in a 117-run partnership after South Africa gave themselves a glimmer of hope with early wickets, including David Warner first ball after he resumed on 200.

Australia resumed on 386-3 with Travis Head on 48 and Carey on nine after a herculean unbeaten double century from Warner in his 100th Test in gruelling heat on day two.

The veteran opener retired exhausted with severe cramp after making his third Test double ton, but he returned to the crease when Head was out for 51, walking out to huge applause.

He told host broadcaster Fox before play began that he had a “rough night’s sleep”.

“I probably woke up six or seven times,” he added, and was bowled first ball by an Anrich Nortje yorker as Australia lost three wickets for five runs.

Green ruled out of bowling

Temperatures were much cooler than the 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, with conditions overcast and humid — generally favourable to the bowlers.

And the ever-dangerous Anrich Nortje took advantage, bowling Head in the third over before snaring a bewildered Warner next ball.

Pat Cummins fended off the hat-trick delivery, but he did not last long.

The Australian skipper fell to the third ball he faced when South Africa successfully reviewed a caught behind decision off Kagiso Rabada’s bowling that was initially denied by the umpire.

Carey was joined by Nathan Lyon and they steadied the ship.

Lyon made an entertaining 25 before holing out to Khaya Zondo off Lungi Ngidi

Ahead of play, Green, who took 5-27 in South Africa’s first innings, was ruled out of bowling again in Melbourne — and the third Sydney Test — with a fractured finger, but he bravely came out to bat.

After a slow start, he began playing his shots in an admirable supporting role to Carey, who counter-attacked after the early wickets fell to consolidate Australia’s advantage.

Carey was the first Australian wicketkeeper to make a Test century since Brad Haddin in 2013 and only the second at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after Rod Marsh.

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