Ashes cricket 2023: Cricket Australia blast Alex Carey rumours over false haircut walkout

The Australian cricket team has slammed a story that has emerged about wicketkeeper Alex Carey, with former England captain Alastair Cook apologising for adding fuel to the fire.

The Australian cricket team has slammed a story pushed by former England captain Alastair Cook suggesting Alex Carey walked out of a UK hairdresser without paying.

Leeds barber Adam Mahmood told The Sun newspaper that the Australian wicketkeeper had left his cash only hairdresser without paying and that he had given Carey a deadline of Monday to pay back the $57 Australian dollars.

Cricket Australia has categorically denied Carey has even had a haircut or visited a barber since the team was in Chelsea in London.

Teammates including Steve Smith, who was with Carey at the time, verified that Carey had not visited a barber.

Smith posted on social media site Threads: “I can confirm Alex Carey has not had a haircut since we were in London. Get your facts right The Sun.”

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey was alleged to have left a barber without paying. Picture: Getty

It’s understood a different Australian squad member had visited a local barber who paid for a haircut by international transfer immediately, having walked into the barber not knowing it was cash only.

It’s understood the other squad member did attempt to pay with his phone and was also unable to withdraw cash, hence the transfer.

The squad member has the receipt which they will take to the barber to clear up any misunderstanding.

Sir Alastair Cook took to BBC radio and said he had his hair cut at the same Leeds hairdresser and repeated the false story on air without checking with the Australian team.

“He says ‘one of them, I think Alex is his name’. I said ‘Alex Carey, wicketkeeper?’” Cook said on radio.

“He says ‘he hasn’t paid.’ It was one of those cash only barbers and he promised him he would do a transfer later on in the day.”

Cook said told fellow commentators: “True story. He might have paid by now.”

A shocking revelation about Australia's Alex Carey! 😲#BBCCricket#Ashespic.twitter.com/fzljpIdHho

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) July 6, 2023

Only problem is the story wasn’t true and Carey was wrongly accused.

Cook has since apologised.

“There’s also been a bit of fuss around on a rainy day, a bit of news about a haircut which might have been discussed on radio the other day,” Cook said on TMS.

“A case of mistaken identity, so I apologise for the mistaken identity to Alex Carey.”

It continues the circus that has followed the Australian team and Carey since the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow in the Leeds Test match.

Originally published as Ashes cricket 2023: Cricket Australia blast Alex Carey rumours over false haircut walkout