Smart-Alec Carey takes Aussie cricket back to Sandpaper-gate

Alex Carey of Australia runs out Jonny Bairstow of England during Day Five of the 2nd Test match at Lord's Cricket Ground. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Well, there goes Australia’s attempt to reinvigorate its cricket image. One sneaky act by Alex Carey to catch Englishman Jonny Bairstow out of his crease, at the point Bairstow clearly thought the over had been complete, has taken Australian cricket back to the grim seedy days of Sandpaper-gate.

For the issue here is that Australia have been completely on top of England and were primed to win the second test with ease.

Instead, by reverting to a clever pre-planned tactic to get one over their opponents on the final day, they simply traduced their still fragile reputation.

This wasn’t cheating like using sandpaper, but it was a similar desperate move in order to get on top of the opposition.

After Bairstow had left a bouncer go through to the keeper, he marked the ground with his bat, and turned and meandered down the wicket for the end of the over. But Carey smartly threw the ball at the stumps and upon review by the umpire he was given out.

There had been no attempt at a run, but rather Australia had exploited the gentlemen’s rules of cricket, and the trust of the opposition, to get the cheapest of wickets.

The fury of members inside the Long Room was palpable, with MCC members loudly expressing their displeasure at Australia’s actions. Usman Khawaja was pulled into a “chat” with one member, before being moved along by security.

No longer the wholesome hardworking team under climate change activist Pat Cummins, this is a team happy to win at any cost.

Australian fans will look to the catch of Mitchell Starc the day earlier as he slid the ball along the ground – resulting in the catch being overturned – as some sort of quid pro quo. But that is a false equation and, as the day five Lord’s crowd has shown, Australia doesn’t have any accumulated goodwill to resort to smart-Alec underhand ploys.

This was a dispiriting moment in the game that Cummins – and certainly Carey – may yet regret.