Australian wicketkeeping legend Ian Healy says new gloveman Alex Carey has earned a “pass … just” from his performance in his first four Test matches.
Carey has been under pressure for three similar mistakes in the Ashes series, having failed to go for a chance to his right in Adelaide, and then dropping two opportunities in Sydney.
It was notable that when Carey took a catch to dismiss Haseeb Hameed on the final day in Sydney that his teammates made a show of congratulating him, perhaps conscious that the strain is beginning to show on the 30-year-old.
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Carey was suddenly thrust into the position on the eve of the series when Tim Paine announced he was taking a break from the game after a sexting scandal came to light.
He’s been relatively tidy behind the stumps during the Ashes, although the similarity of the three errors is concerning.
Carey has averaged just 15.71 with the bat, well below his first class average of 33.02.
Asked to rate Carey’s performance on SEN’s Pat and Heals show, Healy said Carey hasn’t done too much wrong.
“I would say six and a half out of ten,” Healy said.
“He’s been a bit unfortunate with the bat. He got sent in to open in the second innings in Brisbane, got himself out looking to play enterprisingly.
“Then the other day, why was he sent out (in the fourth Test)? Then he was a bit unlucky, played a sweep shot and got the back of the bat on one, Ollie Pope took a great catch and he was out for nought, then they declared. That’s a bit unlucky.
“So yeah, (it’s a) pass (mark), just.”
Healy said the missed chances behind the stumps were something Carey can learn from.
“I reckon he’s learnt a lot about how tired he gets and how nervous you can get, and your feet just don’t go where you want them to,” he said.
“He didn’t have the power to go sideways well enough a couple of times.”
In his SCG player ratings for Wide World of Sports, former Australian captain Mark Taylor gave Carey just three out of 10, highlighting the dropped chances.
“I’m a bit worried about his positioning to the fast bowlers and he’s struggling with that ball to his right side off the edge,” Taylor wrote.
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