Carey's Century Marred by Bizarre DRS Drama
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey has admitted he thought he edged a delivery during a controversial DRS review, before going on to score an emotional century on the opening day of the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval. The left-hander's imperious knock of 106 powered Australia to 8-326 at stumps, but not before a major slice of luck that left pundits and players baffled.
The Controversial Moment That Could Have Changed Everything
The drama unfolded after tea when England seamer Josh Tongue appealed for a catch behind with Carey on 72. On-field umpires gave it not out, prompting England captain Ben Stokes to immediately review. Real-time Snicko showed a significant spike, leading many to believe Carey was gone. However, third umpire Richard Kettleborough ruled the spike occurred at least two frames before the ball passed the bat, followed by a flat line, leaving him no option but to uphold the on-field call.
Speaking after play, Carey confessed his own surprise. "I thought there was a bit of a feather or some sort of noise when it passed the bat," he told reporters. "It looked a bit funny on the replay... If I was given out, I think I would have reviewed it — probably not confidently though."
The decision sparked incredulity in the commentary box. Former Australian captains Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden were certain Carey had hit it. Even ex-ICC umpire of the year Simon Taufel expressed deep scepticism during Channel Seven's coverage, stating his "gut" told him Carey had hit the ball and suggesting a potential calibration issue with the technology.
A Century Dedicated to His Late Father
Putting the controversy behind him, Carey marched on to a superb century, his third in Test cricket. Upon reaching the milestone, he looked to the heavens in a poignant tribute to his father, Gordon, who passed away from leukaemia in September. This was Carey's first Test century in front of his home Adelaide crowd since his father's death, adding a deeply personal layer to the achievement.
The innings was also significant for his standing in the Australian team. Promoted to No.6 for this match, Carey justified the faith by becoming Australia's leading Test run-scorer this calendar year with 671 runs, moving ahead of specialist batters Steve Smith (618) and Travis Head (589). His highest Test score of 156 came batting at No.5 against Sri Lanka earlier this year, and he has consistently stated his desire to bat as high up the order as possible.
"I'd always like to bat as high up the order as I can," Carey said before the Test. "I do it for the Sheffield Shield, I bat No.5 and at times No.4. I love batting."
Among Australian wicketkeepers, only the great Adam Gilchrist boasts a higher Test batting average than Carey's newly elevated mark of 36.16 from 46 Tests.
The day ended with Australia in a strong position, but the talking point remained the technology and the fortune that favoured the local hero on an emotionally charged day at the Adelaide Oval.
