Ashes 2023

Watch: Alex Carey gloves Chris Woakes onto the stumps, cops boos from Headingley crowd as he walks off

by Wisden Staff July 8, 2023 - 6:27pm 3 minute read

Watch: Alex Carey copped a hostile reception from the Headingley crowd as he entered and exited the stage in Australia’s second innings, his stay a short one before he gloved Chris Woakes onto his stumps.

Carey, strangely, was the second Australia batter to fall gloving a ball after attempting to leave Woakes, with Mitchell Marsh offering a catch behind to Jonny Bairstow earlier in the session.

Rain had ruined much of the day, with play only able to begin at 4.45pm. With Australia 2-0 up in the series, and more bad weather forecast for days four and five, England needed a profitable session to boost their chances of regaining the urn.

Woakes provided exactly that, taking two wickets in quick succession. After Marsh gloved through to Bairstow, Carey walked in to bat, accompanied by a chorus of boos. Australia’s wicketkeeper is seen as a villain by England fans following his controversial stumping of Bairstow in the second Test at Lord’s.

He had a solid start to the series with the bat, making 66 in Australia’s first innings at Edgbaston and reaching 20 in his next three knocks. But he has endured a poor Test at Headingley, dropped twice on his way to making eight in the first innings, and lasting 14 balls for his five in the second.

He made a late decision to leave an excellent delivery from Woakes, and couldn’t withdraw his hands in time. The ball bounced down off his gloves and onto the stumps. Carey received more boos from the crowd as he walked off.