Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey says he hopes home supporters will help drown out English taunts when the Ashes return next month, recalling the backlash he faced from England fans after his controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s in 2023.
Carey had ignited a “Spirit of Cricket” debate when he threw down the stumps as Bairstow wandered out of his crease after an over on the final day of the Lord’s Test. The dismissal led to heated scenes, with Australian players copping abuse from MCC members in the Long Room and England coach Brendon McCullum questioning their sportsmanship.
More than two years later, Carey said he expected reminders of that moment from the travelling Barmy Army during the upcoming five-Test series, which begins in Perth on November 21.
“It’s going to be exciting. I’ve already seen a few chants from the Barmy Army, which is great,” Carey told reporters in Adelaide on Tuesday. “That incident is part of cricket history now — it’ll be talked about forever. But as players, we want to be in those big moments.
“I experienced it in England, so hopefully our home crowd can block out some of that noise — and we’ll have more fans backing Australia this time.”
Australia went on to win the Lord’s Test to take a 2-0 series lead and retained the Ashes despite losing two of the remaining three matches.
Carey, who endured constant jeers from English fans throughout the series, said he remains at peace with his role in one of the Ashes’ most talked-about moments.
“It’s all part of the game,” he said. “We love it — that’s sport. There are heroes and villains, and that’s what makes Ashes cricket so special.”
