Gloves on in pitched battle for Ashes supremacy

As Australia's coach Andrew McDonald lauded Alex Carey's wicketkeeping display as one of the finest he has seen, his counterpart Brendon McCullum has been forced to defend Jonny Bairstow after a series of squandered opportunities behind the stumps during the Ashes opener.

England's decision to leave out Ben Foakes, who many regard as the best pure gloveman in the world, was put back in the spotlight after Bairstow missed four chances in the Edgbaston thriller that Australia won by just two wickets.

Bairstow has emerged as one of Test cricket's most dynamic batters and is a major weapon for the hosts at No.7. Over the past 18 months, only Joe Root and Usman Khawaja (seven centuries apiece) have scored more ton than Bairstow’s six.

The 33-year-old showed he had lost none of that dynamism with the bat since his recent return from a broken leg with his run-a-ball 78 in England’s first innings.

Yet two drops off Carey and a missed stumping off Cameron Green in Australia's first innings, plus an edge from Usman Khawaja in the first over of the second dig that went between Bairstow and first slip, proved vital.

Had any of those opportunities been taken, the game could have panned out differently.

Image Id: EB148A99BDE24F97BCA2F7BE7338124E Image Caption: Bairstow misses a stumping chance off Green at Edgbaston // Getty

Foakes is no mug with the bat, and has two Test centuries to his name including one last year early in McCullum's 'Bazball' reign, but England have made it clear they prefer the overall package of Bairstow.

McCullum, an aggressive former wicketkeeper-bat himself during his playing days, insisted the missed chances "were pretty tough mistakes".

"I’ve kept over here before, it’s not the easiest place to keep, and when the ball is spitting and bouncing out of the rough it can be quite difficult," said the New Zealander.

"When you’ve got to stand a little bit closer on a wicket which is a bit slower and can hurry a little bit, there is a risk that when you get a little bit closer those sharp edges can be a little more difficult.

"But I actually thought Jonny kept really well right throughout. If you look at the way he progressed throughout the game as well.

"I think he found a natural rhythm especially today and I thought he did a really good job – and we know what he offers with the bat, him coming in at seven is a real weapon for us as well."

Carey, no stranger to Ashes scrutiny over his glovework after a number of chances went begging in his debut Test series in 2021-22, has hardly put a foot wrong during Australia's first two Tests of their UK tour.

The 31-year-old this week equalled the record for the most dismissals by an Australian keeper in a Test in England (nine, the same captured by Gil Langley in 1956 at Lord's) while he was also tidy in the World Test Championship final on a difficult pitch at The Oval offering variable bounce.

The left-hander has been important with the bat too, posting scores of 48, 66no, 66 and 20 in his four innings of the tour.

He has had big shoes to fill in his predecessor Tim Paine but praise from Nathan Lyon (who rates Paine as the best keeper he has bowled to) during the Edgbaston Test highlighted the improvements Carey has made in recent years.

Image Id: 53AC140EA11B4637A0F9EF6B1377DB67 Image Caption: Carey keeps up to the stumps to Scott Boland at Edgbaston // Getty

McDonald had called out Carey's keeping when addressing his side before their final-day run chase. 

"I think the keeping has been exceptional," the coach said of the South Australian.

"We highlighted that on the morning of day five reflecting on day four, so he's been impressive.

"Every challenge he comes up against, in terms of the conditions, and this creates a new problem for keepers standing back, the wobble, (he has been up to).

"And there was a lot of spin on the surface as well, but the way he's going about his work with the gloves is as good as I've seen from an Australian wicketkeeper for a long period of time."

2023 Qantas Ashes Tour of the UK

First Test: Australia won by two wickets

Second Test: Wednesday June 28-Sunday July 2, Lord’s

Third Test: Thursday July 6-Monday July 10, Headingley

Fourth Test: Wednesday July 19-Sunday July 23, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: Thursday July 27-Monday 31, The Oval

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood