Alex Carey says fatherhood caps rise in responsibility as Australian T20 vice-captain
FATHER-TO-BE Alex Carey embodies the qualities Australian coach Justin Langer demands of his teams and, as legend Adam Gilchrist notes, those marrying his daughters.
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FATHER-to-be Alex Carey embodies the qualities Australian coach Justin Langer demands of his teams and, as legend Adam Gilchrist notes, those “marrying his daughters’’.
Carey concedes fatherhood will cap a dramatic escalation in responsibility as Australian T20 vice-captain in Langer’s respect-based regimen.
There is no coincidence in Langer starting his era as coach with keeper-batsman Carey an emerging leader and heir to Test skipper/keeper Tim Paine. Carey will also be deputy to Mitch Marsh and Travis Head on Australia A’s September limited overs and four-day tour of India.
“I am looking forward to sitting down with Tim and how he sees his cricket and mine,” said Carey, ahead of Wednesday’s limited overs series opener against England at The Oval which heralds Langer’s succession of Darren Lehmann.
“I guess we will see how the tour looks. Tim will captain and play the one-dayers, have a spell before the Tests against Pakistan in October. My opportunity will come in the T20s.
“I have to train hard and be ready to go this tour, watch Painey go about his business and leadership.
“There will be meetings and chats with JL. I have gone over open minded.”
Paine will keep in the five-match one-day series against England. Natural leader Carey will be T20 vice-captain to Aaron Finch in the June 27 T20 clash against England and ensuing tri-series including Pakistan in Zimbabwe. It’s a heady elevation six years after being cut by AFL franchise GWS and just two full Sheffield Shield seasons keeping for South Australia.
“I am close to Aaron Finch and he is as really good, experienced, mature cricketer. He is going to have a really big role stepping into David Warner’s T20 captaincy and do that fine,” Carey told The Advertiser.
“I feel comfortable if I see something to take that to him. Watching Travis Head captain Adelaide Strikers in the BBL was great, going off instinct at times which you have to at times in T20 as it is so fast.
“Wicket-keepers have really good eyes on the field. In that environment we had in the February T20 series for Australia I felt confident enough to have a thought to Warner or Finch. I like to lead by example.”
Langer says Australia must be No.1 in “professionalism, humility and honesty’’ whether it is winning back global respect after the sandpaper incident or the hands of his daughters. Ask anyone from best mate, GWS midfielder Dylan Shiel, to Trevor Hohns’ national selection committee and Carey has Langer’s desired traits in spades.
Australia will still play “hard and tough’’ but Carey is tailormade for the “good bloke’’ philosophy Langer will entrench.
“We have seen the way he went about his cricket, he is a very influential and likeable guy. I can’t wait to develop that relationship with JL,” said Carey, the fourth keeper behind Gilchrist, Chris Hartley and Matt Wade to complete Sheffield Shield’s 50-dismissal, 500-run double in 2016-17.
“He will want to run through some cultural point of views. There will be a bit of change, he has spoken about that.
“Just speaking to JL on the phone for ten minutes I was already excited so get to know him better, train and play under his methods.
“Playing good cricket in England is a big focus and the guys are just really excited to play cricket again after what has happened. There has been change and it feels very fresh.”
Carey will return from three months touring in September just as wife Eloise is due to give birth to their first child. The demands of life as a team role model will pale in comparison to the duty and joy fatherhood
“I have a little boy on the way. Everyone says the best part of your life is about to happen,” said Carey.
“I don’t know what to expect but Eloise is fantastic and understands the cricket and load required from our summers.
“She will be a very good Mum and hopefully I am there enough, helping out, flying in an out and making it work. I am looking forward to growing again as a person.”
Carey believes juggling a burgeoning international career and young family is a blessing rather than a burden after wise words from former South Australian skipper and Australian batsman Michael Klinger.
“It is all about to happen. I can’t wait to become a Dad. Michael Klinger was huge on after a day’s play you get to come home to your kids and realise a bad day at cricket is not such a bad thing,” said Carey.
“I can’t wait for the next part of my life.”
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