The gentleman of Australian cricket, Alex Carey, finds himself cast as an unlikely Ashes villain once more, caught in the eye of a fierce technological storm that has left England furious and the cricketing world debating.
From Bairstow to Snicko: Carey's Controversial History
The South Australian wicketkeeper, often praised for his respectful demeanour, has become a lightning rod for drama in recent Ashes contests. It began with the perfectly legal but fiercely debated stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord's in 2023, a moment that drew sharp criticism from England's Stuart Broad.
The controversy followed him to Adelaide, where England were convinced they had him caught behind early in his innings. It later emerged the Snicko technology was "incorrectly calibrated", giving Carey a reprieve he used to craft a match-defining century. "I thought there was a bit of a feather," Carey admitted after play, adding with a wry smile, "If I was given out, I think I would have reviewed it. Probably not confidently, though."
A New Firestorm Erupts in the Adelaide Heat
On Thursday, in 40-degree Adelaide heat, tensions reached boiling point over a series of contentious Decision Review System (DRS) calls, with Carey involved at every turn. First, he was convinced he had caught Joe Root, only for the third umpire to rule the ball had bounced. Later, a fend from England's Jamie Smith flew to slip, where the umpires checked for a clean catch.
Despite video suggesting the ball may have bounced, third umpire Chris Gaffney ruled it had come off Smith's helmet, forcing the batsman to undergo a concussion check. "Snicko needs to be sacked. That's the worst technology there is," Australian quick Mitchell Starc was overheard saying, a sentiment echoed by teammate Marnus Labuschagne.
The Dismissal That Lit the Fuse
The flashpoint came just 15 minutes later. Carey appealed for a catch behind off Smith. The on-field umpires gave it out, sending the decision upstairs to check if it carried. Replays showed a clean catch, but Snicko presented only a faint murmur and a questionable gap between bat and ball. With no conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field call, Smith was given out, sparking visible disbelief from the batsman and captain Ben Stokes.
Commentator and former Australian captain Ricky Ponting summed up the confusion, noting the decision was almost identical to the one Carey survived the day before. "Everyone's confused... the third umpire is confused," Ponting stated. Fellow commentator Greg Blewett told Seven Network viewers, "It's fair to say both teams are not happy with what is going on now."
As England stare down the barrel of a heavy defeat, the series is once again defined not just by skill, but by technological interpretation and raw emotion, with the unassuming Alex Carey, through little fault of his own, standing squarely in the centre of the storm.
