Carey justifies Test hype with red-ball rise

Australia's Test wicketkeeper-in-waiting, Alex Carey, believes his batting form in red-ball cricket has improved significantly in the past year or so and he credits former South Australia coach Jamie Siddons for his stunning rise to international ranks.

Carey, incumbent gloveman and vice-captain for Australia's limited-overs men's teams, has been identified as a likely successor to Test captain Tim Paine now that Paine's Tasmania and Australia teammate (and former Test keeper) Matthew Wade has effectively hung up the gloves.

But while Carey's batting in the white-ball format saw him earn a berth in the ICC's team of the tournament at last year's World Cup in the UK and earned him a contract with Delhi Capitals for this year's (currently postponed) Indian Premier League, doubts have lingered over his first-class credentials.

In the early years of his career, Carey was known to squander starts with the bat for South Australia and despite making his Sheffield Shield debut as a specialist batter, it took him five years and more than 20 matches to post his maiden Shield century.

However, with 36 first-class games now under his belt – having re-committed himself to cricket at the relatively senior age of 20 after a brief stint as an Australian Rules footballer – Carey claims he's matured and fully appreciates the different technical and mental approach needed to succeed at long and short-form levels.

And with three centuries from his past five Shield appearances, which in turn have been restricted due to his commitments with the limited-overs outfit, his assessment is vindicated by statistics.

"With limited opportunity to play first-class cricket (over) the last two summers - I think I've played maybe six to eight first-class games, which isn't a lot of cricket – a positive for me is … I've done really well," Carey said this week.

"I've scored a few hundreds back-to-back, so I'm learning about my game every time I go out to play cricket, whether it's the white ball or red ball.

"As a cricketer, (aged) 28 now, I'm learning lots about myself.

"You mature into your body and start to work out what you can do out on the field.

"It's been a bit difficult not knowing or going straight back to the red ball from a white-ball tour, but that's the way it is now.

"If I play cricket for Australia just with the white ball, I'm a very happy man - it's been a very enjoyable couple of seasons playing for Australia in the T20s and one-dayers.

"I'll continue hopefully to learn and be good enough one day to earn a Test cap, but there's a lot to do between now and then if it does happen."

Carey first played top-level cricket in 2013, just two years after his football dream was summarily ended, when then-South Australia coach Darren Berry enlisted the left-hander as a specialist number three and opening batter.

After three matches, in which he managed just 61 runs at an average of 10.17, Carey lost his place in the starting XI and was de-listed by the Redbacks at season's end.

His fortunes changed with the arrival of former SA skipper Siddons as coach ahead of the 2015-16 summer, and before that season's end Carey had replaced Tim Ludeman as keeper in the Redbacks Shield line-up, and his star his risen spectacularly since then.

In 29 Shield matches under Siddons leadership, Carey has scored 1724 runs at an average of 36.68 with four centuries.

During that time, only ex-Test keeper and current New South Wales captain Peter Nevill has made more Shield runs in the role of wicketkeeper-batter, with 1938 at a marginally inferior average of 36.57 and from 11 more matches.

Of greater significance is the improvement Carey has displayed over the past two years, since making his Australia debut in an ODI against England at the Gabba in January 2018.

Since then, he's scored 690 runs at 46.00 including three of his four Shield centuries and only twice during that time has he reached 50 and failed to push on to three figures, including a score of 98 against Queensland at Adelaide.

Carey was in Sydney with the Australia ODI squad, preparing for last month's since-cancelled series against New Zealand, when it was announced SA and Siddons had agreed to part ways.

The SA Cricket Association's search for a replacement coach has been stalled due to the financial fall-out from the COVID19 pandemic, but Carey was effusive in his praise for Siddons and the role he played in taking the former footballer's game to the elite level.

"I loved my time playing under Jamie,' Carey said.

"I’ve got him to thank for my progress in the national system, he was a fantastic coach and mentor for me.

"To see him move on is disappointing, but unfortunately we haven’t been able to win and play good enough cricket to see him stay around.

"There’s going to be a few changes here at the SACA, and the guys in management there will select the right person to be able to take over from Jamie.

"At the moment, it’s up in the air about when it’s going to happen and when the squad can get together and start training.

"But it's a tough one to see a friend of mine, Jamie (go) … he was very close to me."