Australia’s Carey turns matchwinner to silence England’s Ashes hecklers

Alex Carey has extracted some measure of revenge for his appalling treatment by England fans during the 2023 Ashes by playing the match-winning hand for Australia at Headingley.

While his Lord’s stumping victim Jonny Bairstow has long since been discarded by the England selectors, Carey (74 from 67 balls) has forged on to regain his spot in the ODI team. He fought the ideal rearguard action to give a strong Australian attack a defensible total on a Leeds pitch that offered them handy assistance.

Alex Carey has extracted some measure of revenge for his appalling treatment by England fans during the 2023 Ashes.Credit: AP

Mitchell Starc (3-50), Josh Hazlewood (2-54) and Glenn Maxwell (2-15), were all recalled after a virus kept them out of the opening game in Nottingham, then contributed sharply with the ball to secure a 68-run margin of victory and a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. It was Australia’s 14th win in a row since the World Cup; England have lost 10 of 14.

With a combination of length deliveries and wobble seam, Starc cannily hid his inswinger from England’s captain Harry Brook for eight balls, before pinning him in front of middle and leg for a simple lbw decision with a screeching ninth.

Aaron Hardie (2-26) then struck twice in two balls when his brilliant return catch to get Ben Duckett out with a slower ball was followed by an even better snaffle from Carey when Liam Livingstone glanced down the leg side. It fell to Stuart Broad, now a commentator, to praise Carey’s take a year after goading him in the middle at Lord’s.

Carey’s opposite number Jamie Smith (49) played straight and well for England. But when he was snapped up at midwicket by the substitute Jake Fraser-McGurk off Hazlewood, the Australians had the game well in their keeping. Captain Mitchell Marsh used his strike bowlers smartly, probing for wickets and not worrying much about economy - reducing England to 5-65 and ultimately all out for 202 inside 41 overs.

“We knew that early wickets would put them under pressure,” Marsh said. “We got a lot of experience back today.”

A round of unimaginative booing accompanied Carey to the batting crease. It was a relatively tame reception next to some of his treatment in 2023, following the legitimate stumping of Bairstow on the final day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.

“It’s always a warm welcome,” Carey said, smiling. “I think the guys kept their shoes on today.

“I was aware of it [the heckling] but as soon as you get into your little routine, you block out as much as you can and you start to get into your innings. Most batters, a lot of that noise disappears and you’re quite focused and that’s the headspace I like to get into.

“But it’s one of those things, I think Smudge [Steve Smith] gets it all the time, I was prepared to probably get it today and it happened, so fair play.”

Following the Bairstow incident, Carey was subjected to at least one death threat via social media, and his family was also abused. The Western Terrace launched chants of “shoes off if you hate Carey”, among other unprintable taunts.

All this had enough of an effect on Carey for teammates to worry about his welfare. He was undoubtedly a more harried and timid looking cricketer for the remainder of the Ashes and some subsequent assignments.

He was dropped after one game of the ODI World Cup, and did not return to something like his best until the final Test of the summer in New Zealand, where a superb innings of 98 delivered a victory in Christchurch.

Josh Inglis had secured his ODI place in the meantime, and it took a quad injury to the incumbent for Carey to take his place at Trent Bridge and now Headingley. He was a much clearer-headed cricketer this time around, with a combination of high skill and good thinking evident throughout his rearguard innings.

Australia were in desperate need of Carey’s display after being sent in by Harry Brook and losing regular wickets on a dry, cracked surface that offered up swing, seam and spin under overcast morning skies.

Marsh offered the most resistance before Carey’s arrival, clubbing his way to 60 on the same ground where he made a comeback Test century last year. But Travis Head, Matt Short, Marnus Labuschagne and Hardie were all irritated to squander their starts.

Two wickets in as many balls for the otherwise expensive Brydon Carse, followed by a brief stay for Adam Zampa, dropped the tourists to 9-221, before Carey farmed the strike expertly in the company of last man Hazlewood.

They put on 49 together, of which Carey carved 41 from 38 balls with a trio of sixes that showcased his fast hands and drew groans from England fans.