Alex Carey had a busy day at Lord’s, facing South Africa in what proved to be a challenging Test. Australia’s solid finish in their innings may have overshadowed Carey’s on-field blunders, which included missing a reverse sweep off Keshav Maharaj and dropping a catch from Wiaan Mulder. Yet, the team still emerged in a favourable position despite being held to 212.
Carey’s relationship with the reverse sweep has been well-documented. Highlighting this, in 2022 during a tour in Sri Lanka, Carey quipped: “My wife is the harshest critic of the reverse. She says, ‘don’t play the bloody reverse sweep, not again.'” He admits the shot can fail, but insists it’s a valuable tool when executed well. Conditions at Lord’s are far from those in Galle, but for Carey, the reverse sweep remains a part of his repertoire. Unfortunately, his execution today contributed to a sudden collapse of the lower order.
In numbers, Carey’s reverse sweep yields over a run per ball, with 129 runs from 113 deliveries, yet he’s also succumbed to this shot six times in Test cricket. Despite these occasional setbacks, Carey has been in outstanding form lately, including a pivotal unbeaten 98 in New Zealand. His drop behind the stumps therefore came as a surprise to many.
Carey’s drop occurred in the fifth over during South Africa’s reply when Mulder edged a Mitchell Starc delivery. Although Carey only needed to move slightly to catch it, the ball slipped through his gloves. Starc’s premature celebration turned into a quick retreat. Reflecting on the drop, Steven Smith noted, “I think it was one of those ones that swung a little bit on him, which can happen with the Dukes ball.”
Regarding the pitch and match progression, Smith shared his outlook: “It might take a bit more spin as the game wears on. It’s pretty dry. The seam might go down as the game goes on as well, potentially. I think the bounce is going to be variable throughout the game, as we’ve seen already on day one.” After a day of 14 wickets, Smith remains optimistic about Australia’s prospects, albeit acknowledging missed chances.
Australia remains well-positioned, having stabilised after a challenging first day at Lord’s. Carey’s contributions, both positive and negative, underline the unpredictable nature of Test cricket, where the team’s collective performance ultimately dictates success.
