Adelaide Striker Jon Wells says Alex Carey’s knock against Perth Scorchers was ‘as good as he’s seen’ in T20 cricket
A teammate of Adelaide Striker Alex Carey says the innings the classy left-hander played against Perth Scorchers on Monday night is proof he’s not far away from earning a Baggy Green.
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The praise continues to come in for Alex Carey’s start to BBL09 with the bat, with Strikers teammate Jon Wells saying his knock in the win against the Scorchers was as good as he’s witnessed.
While Wes Agar believes the looming replacement for Test keeper and skipper Tim Paine could play five-day cricket for Australia as a batsman in his own right, so impressive he has been with the willow.
Carey’s 55 off 24 balls against Perth on Monday night backed up his 45 runs off 40 in the Strikers’ abandoned match against the Sydney Thunder.
The 28-year-old’s innings against the Scorchers in his new No. 4 role had Australian cricket legends singing his praises - Ricky Ponting claiming the $490,000 he spent on Carey for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL was a bargain, while Shane Warne said the South Australian could play Test cricket without having to keep wickets.
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Wells, who has played 78 Twenty20 matches, was another impressed by Carey’s exploits against the Scorchers.
“I thought the first couple of overs (against Perth) we didn’t have a great start, but then we put the foot down in the powerplay before the rain came and that set up the match,” he said.
“I thought the way Alex Carey came in and the way he continued that momentum from the very first ball of his innings that was as good as an innings that I’ve seen.”
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Agar, who has been one of the big improvers in domestic cricket and took 2/36 against Perth, said Carey had to be close to representing Australia in the red ball format.
“Carey has gone to a different level, in the wake of his IPL pick up he has become an amazing player,” Agar said.
It just kept going!!!
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“He is a great player and he deserves every spot he gets on the international scene and I’m sure he isn’t far off (a Test berth).
“Definitely (he could play as just a batsman), Alex is a great batsman and he has showed that in the (Sheffield) Shield.
“He is a three format player and he works so hard on his game… I’m sure he can do that.”
Matthew Wade used to keep wickets for Australia before losing his spot to Paine, but forced his way back into the Test team as a batsman.