Carey still has Inglis keeping the heat on

AUSTRALIA is set to finish the Ashes as it started, with a fierce wicketkeeping debate over Alex Carey and Josh Inglis.

One of the big narratives before the Ashes team was picked has suddenly resurfaced before the March tour of Pakistan, where Carey will be under enormous pressure.

Carey dropped his second catch of the Sydney Test to complete a disappointing match in which he also failed with the bat, and averages 15 for the series.

On Test debut in Brisbane, Carey was faultless, but since then a strange weakness has crept into his game – he hesitates in diving to his right.

Carey can feel heartened that some of Australia’s greatest wicketkeepers have had tough starts.

Ian Healy had a really challenging debut tour of Pakistan in 1988 when critics were instantly talking about whether he had a Test future, while the great Rod Marsh was nicknamed “Iron Gloves” due to his inauspicious start.

But Carey is now under the microscope and Inglis will be stalking him on the tour of Pakistan.

Inglis had strong support from the likes of Ricky Ponting leading into the Ashes, and there is a feeling he may prove to be the superior gloveman, particularly when it comes to standing up to Nathan Lyon on tricky decks in Pakistan.

That said, it’s when standing up to the stumps to Lyon this Ashes series that Carey has really looked the part.

His blemishes have come moving to his right to nicks off the pace bowlers – an unusual weakness, given the marker that sets apart good keepers from great is usually how they react to leg-side chances.

Carey had a moment in both Adelaide and Melbourne when he baulked at diving to his right. Edges sailed between he and David Warner at first slip.