Alex Carey had no qualms about being cast in the role of pantomime villain after his superb 74 laid the foundation for Australia’s 68-run win over England in the second one-day international at Headingley on Saturday.
Australia, sent into bat by stand-in England captain Harry Brook, twice lost three wickets in quick succession to be 161-6 and 221-9.
But composed wicketkeeper Carey, in his first competitive innings since March, expertly manipulated a last-wicket stand of 49 with Josh Hazlewood (four not out), the No 11 facing a mere 11 balls in eight overs as the world champions finished on 270 all out.
It was the ideal response after Carey was booed by a Headingley faithful still angered by his controversial stumping of local hero Jonny Bairstow during last year’s Ashes.
“I was aware of it but it’s business as usual,” said Carey, whose 67-ball innings, including eight fours and three-well struck sixes, paved the way for Australia to go 2-0 up in a five-match series after England could only manage 202 in reply.
“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.”
“A lot of that noise disappears and you’re quite focused and that’s the head space that I like to get into. I was prepared to get (booed) and it happened so fair play.”
– ‘Patience’ –
Australia’s team on Saturday featured eight members of the side that beat India in the World Cup final, with Carey, 33, one of the exceptions after featuring in both the opening games of this series following an injury to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.
England, by contrast, are much more of a fledgling 50-over side and a callow top-order struggled against an Australia attack bolstered by the return of fast bowlers Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc from virus problems while collapsing to 65-5 inside 10 overs.
Just as in the 2023 Ashes, England are now two down with three to play, although they came back to end last year’s Test series level at 2-2.
But it will be a major surprise if this campaign ends the same way given arch-rivals Australia have now won 14 consecutive ODIs, a run stretching back to last year’s defeat of Sri Lanka in Lucknow that revived their World Cup campaign.
Brook, captaining England in these five games instead of the injured Jos Buttler, pleaded for patience.
“We are an inexperienced side playing one of the best in the world,” he told Sky Sports.
“It is a new era and it is about patience and trying to have fun as well.”
Brook, 25, came under fire after Thursday’s seven-wicket loss at Trent Bridge when, explaining England’s dynamic approach to batting, he said: “We are out there to score runs. If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field then who cares?”
But Marcus Trescothick — leading the white-ball sides until Brendon McCullum unifies the coaching roles next year — while underlining England would remain “aggressive”, insisted: “We care deeply if we get it wrong and we care deeply if we lose games.
“Don’t think for one minute that’s not the case,” the former England opener added.
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