Carey is a keeper for Ashes, says Test great
FORMER selector Mark Waugh has thrown his support behind Alex Carey for a berth in the Ashes squad as the battle to open with David Warner heats up.
Waugh, Australia’s top runscorer in the 2001 Ashes series, the last Aussie win in England, believes the two teams are “very evenly matched”, with at least nine of the tourist’s best 11 locked in.
Test captain Tim Paine declared that performing in this week’s all-Aussie Southampton showdown, with 25 Aussies set to fill two teams, wouldn’t be the lone selection decider for those remaining spots in the 16-man squad.
Waugh believes Marcus Harris, who made a century for Australia A against Sussex, did enough during the home summer to at least get first crack at opening with Warner in the opening Test at Birmingham.
And Waugh, who was on the selection panel that elevated Carey to the national T20 and one-day teams in 2018, said the 27-year-old keeper’s 376 runs in the World Cup almost demanded inclusion.
“Carey was nearly our best batsman in the World Cup. He looked as good as anyone technically, and he hit the ball cleanly,” said Waugh, now a Fox Cricket commentator.
“He batted very well. His first-class record isn’t great. He averages about 30 (29.43), but he’s very impressive.
“His keeping, he just has to brush that up a little bit.”
Waugh said only two of the opening contenders Harris, Joe Burns and Cameron Bancroft were likely to make the squad to be revealed on Friday.
The first Test begins at Edgbaston on Thursday week.