Carey steps out of the shadows to take centre stage

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Carey steps out of the shadows to take centre stage

It is not much fun being a reserve wicketkeeper on a cricket tour. There is lots of waiting and not much playing, but also a need to be ready, just in case.

When the call came, Alex Carey was ready.

After a tight quad ruled Josh Inglis out of Thursday’s opening one-day international with England, Carey got the gloves on in Nottingham, keeping tidily, but neither batting nor taking a catch. It was not the eye-catching opportunity he may have wanted.

Two days later at Headingley, with Inglis still sidelined, his chance came and he took it.

Coming to the wicket with Australia 4-145 midway through the innings he soon found himself with just the bowlers for company and a very inadequate 6-161 on the scoreboard. The chance for England to level the series loomed.

Carey, however, marshalled the tail superbly, never more so than in a last-wicket stand of 49 in eight overs with Josh Hazlewood.

He farmed the strike, hit eight fours and three sixes, and steered Australia to what proved a very defendable 270 before being last out for a 67-ball 74.

It was hard to believe he had last batted in March, in a Test match in Christchurch.

Then he took two catches, including a brilliant one-handed legside catch to dismiss the dangerous Liam Livingstone first ball.

Aaron Hardie and Australia are on *****

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