Carey call-up confirms selectors' attention

In the immediate aftermath of his breakthrough century in the KFC Big Bash League last night, Alex Carey was unsure if his efforts would turn the head of the national selection panel.

Barely 12 hours later, he learned that it had when the 26-year-old was added to Australia’s squad for tomorrow’s Gillette ODI Series meeting with England at the Gabba as cover for keeper Tim Paine who is battling the effects of gastroenteritis.

Carey will remain on standby with a decision on Paine’s fitness for the crucial second match of the five-game series – which Australia trails 0-1 after last Sunday’s defeat in Melbourne – to be made prior to tomorrow’s 1.20pm start time in Brisbane.

Regardless of whether or not he earns an international debut, his addition to the squad confirms he is in the selectors’ thinking.

Albeit sooner than most expected given that a more likely path to national honours seemed the Gillette T20 tri-series against England and New Zealand that follows the ODI campaign next month.

Carey is currently the second-highest runs scorer in BBL|07 with 368 at a strike rate of 140, an aggregate bettered only by Hobart Hurricanes’ D’Arcy Short’s 493 at 151 in the 20-over competition.

However, the all-round skills set that makes the former AFL aspirant such a vital cog in the smooth-running Adelaide Strikers BBL machine also seemed likely to count against him as there is rarely room in the Australia line-up for two specialist wicketkeepers.

And incumbent Test and limited-overs keeper Paine has a proven record as an opener for the Hurricanes in the shortest format and will prove difficult to dislodge unless selectors believe he could benefit from a break prior to the four-Test series in South Africa that begins in March.

“You obviously want to make runs and put your name out there, and leave it up to the selectors,” Carey said in the wake of his 56-ball century that earned him player of the match honours at Adelaide Oval last night.

“(But) obviously Tim Paine’s doing really well in the green and gold.

“I try not to get ahead of myself with some experiences I’ve had, but it was nice tonight to put the name out there I guess.”

Among those “experiences” was the speculation of the make-up of Australia’s team for the recently concluded Magellan Ashes campaign, when it was made clear at summer’s start that Paine’s predecessor in the Baggy Green Cap, Matthew Wade, was under pressure to retain his place.

Carey’s name was touted alongside another former Test gloveman Peter Nevill to fill that role, with the promise of the South Australian’s batting outweighing the absence of a first-class hundred on his career CV in the eyes of his supporters.

Not only was he overlooked, the recall of Paine who was not even keeping wicket for his state team Tasmania (where Wade had returned to take over the gloves) indicated that the national selection panel were not overly enamoured with any of the incumbent keepers on the first-class domestic scene.

However, rather than allow that “experience” to dissuade him, Carey has worked closely with his West End Redbacks coach Jamie Siddons and Strikers coaches (and former Test players) Jason Gillespie and Greg Blewett to lift his game to a higher level.

In the JLT Sheffield Shield this season, Carey averages 43 in (what is for him) the unfamiliar role of batting down the order at number seven and that return includes his maiden first-class century – a patient 139 from 254 deliveries against Queensland at Cairns last month.

Since the domestic schedule moved into T20 mode just weeks after that innings, Carey has established himself as the pre-eminent power opener (alongside Short) and has caught the eye of ex-Test captain Ricky Ponting who will work as an assistant coach with Australia’s T20 squad in the coming tri-series.

Ponting last night named Carey in his best team of BBL|07 to date, although he listed him down the order as he opted for Short and former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum as his preferred opening combination.

While Carey’s clean ball-striking and measured temperament have proved a feature of his game in the current iteration of the KFC Big Bash League, his keeping skills have been further sharpened through his exposure to the Strikers’ Afghanistan import, Rashid Khan.

Rashid, who was also included in Ponting’s team of the competition to date, has been a star performer with his fast leg spin and numerous variations.

And until the Hurricanes’ Alex Doolan clubbed him for three sixes in an over last night, he had not conceded a maximum from his bowling throughout the tournament.

Carey, who also keeps to Australia ODI leggie Adam Zampa in the Shield competition, admitted last night that the speed with which Rashid delivers the ball and the compounding factors of white-ball cricket under floodlights means he is often as mystified as rival batters as to which way the ball will spin.

“It is a fast arm action and with the lights and a new ball, it’s quite hard to see the seam,” Carey said of ‘reading’ Rashid.

“So I watch as hard as I can and if I can pick up wrong-un or his normal ball … (but) not every time and (then I) can react off the wicket and back my hands in to do that.

“He’s number three in the world (in T20 cricket) for a reason, he’s pretty good.

“He’s the fastest leggie I’ve kept to.”

2017-18 International Fixtures

Gillette ODI Series v England

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Cameron White, Adam Zampa.

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

First ODI England won by five wickets at the MCG.

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21