Alex Carey has become the second Australia wicketkeeper to score a Test hundred in Asia on day two (February 7) of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Galle.
Carey brought up his second Test hundred in a blazing fashion. His first, a 149-ball 111, came in the 2022 Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Melbourne. Entering at 91-3 in Australia's response to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 257, Carey stitched an unbeaten double-hundred partnership with Steve Smith to keep the opposition at bay.
Despite pressure from the hosts’ spinners initially, Carey broke the shackles by hitting boundaries off Dhananjaya de Silva and Ramesh Mendis. Carey continued with his aggressive batting style, bringing up his 10th Test fifty off 69 balls. He took another 49 balls to reach the magical three figures.
Carey finished the day unbeaten on 139, riding on 13 fours and two sixes, helping Australia secure a 73-run lead over the hosts. Smith, who scored his 17th away Test hundred (an Australia record), also contributed his fair share in the unbeaten 239-run stand for the fourth wicket.
An absolute masterclass in batting against spin.
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 7, 2025
Full wrap from day two of the second #SLvAUS Test: https://t.co/JEVmOAdRTz pic.twitter.com/6GnxP0RbmH
While Carey's hundred was his first in Asia, Gilchrist has as many as four centuries in these conditions, the second-most by a non-Asian player. Only Andy Flower (5) has more.
When Carey resumes his innings tomorrow, he has a chance to surpass Gilchrist’s hard-fought 144 against Bangladesh in Fatullah in 2006, to register the highest score by an Australia wicketkeeper in Asia.
Highest scores by an Australia wicketkeeper in Asia
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