Watch Alex Carey stumping Jonny Bairstow in The Ashes’ second Test

England’s Jonny Bairstow of was run out by Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey on Day 5 of the Ashes 2nd Test at the Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 02, 2023 in London, England.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey has no regrets about the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s and said if given a chance he won’t hesitate to do it again as he himself has been a sufferer of such a dismissal in the past.

Carey’s dismissal of Bairstow during the second Ashes Test snowballed into a big controversy with many pundits stating that it was against the spirit of the game.

During Day 5 of the match, Bairstow wandered out of the crease after ducking Cameron Green’s bouncer, thinking that the ball was dead but an alert Carey made a direct hit onto the stumps, stumping out the batter.

“I’ve definitely been out to that a few times, and I’ve tried to do it (to batters) in the past as well,” Carey said in Manchester ahead of the fourth Ashes Test.

“My first A-grade game in South Australia, I was out that way. And when I walked off, I was pretty disappointed. (My) captain came up to me, and he said, ‘You’ll remember to keep your foot behind the line next time’.”

Australia went on to win the game but were subjected to booing by the English crowd and were hurled abuses at the Lord’s Long Room by some MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) members.

“We got some pretty instant feedback. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I absolutely respect that. And then everyone’s entitled to their opinion on the spirit of cricket as well,” Carey said.

“There’s a few chants that I was actually humming along to while I was batting, just trying to change the words a little bit.

“There’s some nasty stuff being said, but it is the Ashes. There was nasty stuff said before that as well. So yeah, I feel really well-supported. I think the whole group does. From Australia, I still think we’ve got lots of fans, and from England, I don’t think we’ve made any, but we probably didn’t lose any,” he added.

Carey also said Bairstow’s dismissal was well-worked out by the Australians as they had already identified his tendency to leave the crease before the ball was dead.

“Obviously his first movement was pretty much out of his crease, so instinctively I grabbed the ball, threw the stumps down and the rest is history, as they say,” he said.

“He’s a fantastic player, and obviously a big wicket in that match.

“As soon as I got it, I threw it straightaway. And then I guess once the bails come off, it’s up to the third umpire to deem it out or not out,” he added.

England lead the five-Test Ashes series 2-1. The fourth match will begin here on July 1.