World Cup pointer: Alex Carey tipped to replace Tim Paine as keeper for England one-day tour
SELECTORS are likely to spare Tim Paine the strain of 50-over cricket, with Alex Carey set to tour England in June as Australia’s one-day wicketkeeper.
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SELECTORS are likely to spare Tim Paine the strain of 50-over cricket, with Alex Carey set to tour England in June as Australia’s one-day wicketkeeper.
Carey is in the box seat to cement a dream berth behind the stumps for next year’s Cricket World Cup, and the vote of confidence in the 26-year-old rookie shapes as the strongest indicator yet that Paine will remain as Test captain only, with a new one-day skipper to be announced within the next fortnight.
Aaron Finch is the favourite to assume the ODI post also taken off Steve Smith over the ball-tampering scandal, with the other potential candidates either injured or not guaranteed their place in the side.
It’s understood Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins are in a two-horse race for the Test vice-captaincy void left by David Warner’s suspension — that is unless Cricket Australia’s board bucks convention and decides Paine doesn’t need an official deputy.
Marsh might have even been considered for the one-day captaincy but the all-rounder will miss the series through injury.
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke declared Cummins a future Test leader before a ball was bowled in South Africa, and there is now serious discussions going on at CA about the fast bowler’s credentials.
Justin Langer remains the overwhelming frontrunner to be named Australian coach, but at this point CA management haven’t gone to the board to put forward proposed candidates for any leadership position.
Paine, 33, is the incumbent one-day wicketkeeper having played four of the five most recent internationals against England back in January.
But even before Paine’s responsibilities increased exponentially in South Africa following his ascension to the Test captaincy, selectors were already giving serious thought to backing in Carey.
The young South Australian, who was once on the books at the GWS Giants, shone when Paine was sick for a one-dayer against England at the Gabba and also impressed in the Twenty20 tri-series that followed.
Australia were shown up badly by England in the ODI arena earlier in the year, with their run rate through the middle overs far too slow for the increased tempo of the modern game.
Carey — a Big Bash League superstar — may be best suited to helping revamp the middle-order.
Paine has been a revelation since being plucked from obscurity at the start of the summer, but selectors must also be mindful of putting all their eggs in the one basket with a seasoned campaigner who has a long history of finger injuries.
Unleashing Carey in England for the five-match one-day series in June and the Twenty20 tri-series to follow in Zimbabwe is smart succession planning.
The irony, of course, is that Paine’s record as a short-form cricketer is excellent.
But restricting his workload may be the best chance of prolonging the Tasmanian’s career in the Test format, where Australia desperately need him to recover from the devastating crisis that struck in South Africa.
Australia will want Paine leading the way for the massive 2019 Ashes assignment in the UK.
Although Carey is poised to tour England, the squad won’t be confirmed until a New Australian coach is appointed.
If the boss is to be Langer, he would be given a final look over the squad as mentor — and as a selector — before it’s approved and announced.
Meanwhile, big fast bowler Billy Stanlake has undergone successful surgery on his right pinky finger and is on track to prove his fitness for the one-day tour of England.