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'Don't Think We'd Do Anything Differently': Alex Carey Defends Bairstow's Controversial Stumping

image-lk3wtvp4Australian team celebrating Bairstow's stumping [Twitter]

Australian wicket-keeper, Alex Carey, has robustly defended his divisive stumping of England batter Jonny Bairstow during the second Ashes 2023 Test at Lord’s. The incident at the stadium generated substantial controversy and sparked a wave of harsh criticism toward Carey and his team.

Carey firm on Bairstow's dismissal

In his first public comments following Bairstow's controversial dismissal, Carey highlighted that the Australian squad had recognized the Englishman's tendency to leave his crease swiftly and were somewhat surprised by the intensity of the subsequent backlash.

Reflecting on the reactions, Carey said that harsh words have been part of the game, especially in a competitive series like the Ashes. He emphasized the team's unity and asserted that they had the support of many fans back in Australia. Despite the controversy, he felt that their reputation with English fans remained intact.

"There's some nasty stuff been said but…it is the Ashes. There was nasty stuff said before that as well. 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," said Carey as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.


The Aussie stumper further remarked that the on-field decision for the stumping had been blown out of proportion, but he respected everyone's right to their viewpoints on the spirit of cricket. He insisted that the team was cohesive and knew their priorities, adding that they had faced the criticisms together.

"It's one of those things where a stumping that's given out on field is turned into a massive story. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I absolutely respect that. Not just myself, the whole group's had some stuff spoken about them. But we're really tight. We're all in it together. Don't think the group would do anything differently,” added the 31-year-old.

Clarifying how the controversial stumping unfolded, Carey mentioned that the team was aware of Bairstow's strategy to avoid bouncers and noted his initial movement out of the crease. The southpaw stated that acting instinctively, he grabbed the ball and aimed for the stumps.