Alex Carey should not play in the Ashes

Well you’re hypothesis is looking pretty shaky now isn’t it?

hi Pierro I agree Carey is a lock to make the Test squad but then I think Warne & Waugh have been a bit presumptuous, deciding he should also play in the first Test. Carey batted out of his skin in the ODI series, no argument, but this was against guys using white Kookaburra balls, totally different field conditions, etc. I the Tests, he'll be facing guys used to bowling with the Dukes ball and if conditions are right, they can make that sing. I don't know, nor do Waugh or Warne, whether Carey is up to the task in terms of his technique, because it hasn't be tested in England in long form cricket. lets see how he goes in the upcoming trial games, then see how he stacks up against other contenders, bearing in mind he, Patterson, Wade and co are all playing for ONE Test spot.

As a cricket expert you will know that to succeed as a test batsman requires a combination of great talent, technique, powers of concentration and bottle I have at various times seen Carey (most recently at Trent Bridge vs. West Indies), Burns, Harris and Khawaja and Carey, without question, is the better player. High quality test batsman are as rare as hens teeth - Carey could certainly prove to be one, so joining Warner and Smith. Your reason for not picking him is not valid

Play carey as batsman , play Paine as keeper. The recent form warrants both. Theres a huge emphasis on Carey having to keep but surely we need players that have just played well on half a dozen pitches well against the best world cup bowling . he batted beautifully against 75 to 80 percent of the test bowling line up and has just proven himself on the various english pitches. Why on earth would you be relying on data outside of the last year or his recent english form. Warner and Waugh are right and they knew how to win the pair of them. Ill follow their lead any day compared to the roar pundits

Dont dump paine, play them both. We need the best men for english pitches we have . Carey just demonstrated amazing batting all around england . He's ready to go. Must play for me and play Paine.

Don't swap , play them both. Both can play english conditions and thats what we need. Averages in Australia do not matter. English conditions matter . Carey nailed England in the semi final under immense pressure and played well for the tournament . He's just been playing on english pitches what better a warm up

Very good points . England is horses for courses. The most recent decent batsman such as Rogers and Smith have proven they can play english pitches. If Careys brilliant 10 match performance showed us anything its that he can play english pitches against the worlds best. In the semi final england struggled to get him out whilst everyone except Smith fell. Edbaston is our worst ground. We need to get off the stats on to the best performers in England. Pattinson with the ball. Carey with the bat. Done deal. Can still play Paine. Id bancroft hadn't had a lack of play for 12 months Id be playing him to as he was in great form before the ban. Head gets a place probably Theres room if we have places for six batsman , Paine and four bowlers

Play them both. Carey has validated form on English soil against the worlds best. He just proved it against the english bowling line up. He looked composed and can steady an innings. Your all looking at Australian and ROW stats. Remember the last two ashes in england, the stats went out the window as Australians did not hold up on british soil with batting in general. He's got the recent form on the board. Query would be facing the red ball change but he's been pretty good all round in the last 9 months. Play him for sure

Your all looking at averages but winning in england is about getting players who play english conditions really well. Carey has just demonstrated that in high pressure matches all be it One day format in England against the worlds best opposition. He flogged England with his head bitten off in the semi final . They couldn't get him out when all the other aussie batsman were failing outside of Smith at Edgbaston which is one of Australis worst grounds. Play Carey. Play Paine. Last two Ashes series in england saw australian batsman slashing square of the wicket against line and length. Carey has the composure and is in great form. The stats in Australia and ROW are often irrelevant when it comes to english pitches. Plenty of room for him and Paine as batsman. He's 27 he's no spring chicken for developement and is in cracking solid form

Play carey now as a batsman! He has just played in England and been flogging them with controlled shots and discipline . Sure it was the one day format but he had england on the ropes in the SF . Players that play english pitches well are hard to come buy in the last few ashes in England. It hasn't been good. Carey is in form and is 27 and he's hungry and tough. Our batting line up in England last few ashes has been thumped hitting wildly square of wicket and slashing at the ball. Carey seems to be quite elegant for the most part. Play him alongside Paine

Harris/Warner/Smith/Khawaja/Head/Carey/Paine seems very solid to me with carey being the x factor inclusion which I don't mind if there is no all rounder playing. Pattinson/Cummins/Lyon . Then hazelwood or starc depending on the pitch .

Deliberating over this Ronan. You make some fair points but Carey has started late at 27 hes not getting any younger. We've seen some real horses for courses in england in the past due to the differing pitches. There is an issue with his glove work that just needs work but with 10 lead up games in england WC , his batting was amongst the best and most comfortable/elegant in the Australian line up, particular in the semi under huge pressure and head pounding bouncer . He's 27 hes not getting any younger and in top form. I say play him as a batsman in the first test. There is room to play Head as well and Khwaja may not be fit in time. I suppose . Waugh and Warne are no mugs when it comes to captaining and selecting. Its hard to find players we see who are shining on englands grounds in recent years. Carey made like work of Archer and co . in the WC. The A side have not been facing bowling up to that standard.

That could be the issue his glove work but with 10 lead up games in england his batting was amongst the best and most comfortable in the Australian line up . He's 27 hes not getting any younger and in top form. I say play him . Waugh and Warne are no mugs when it comes to captaining and selecting

for his first 3-4 years Marsh averaged almost 40, when good batsman averaged 40 - more than guys like Stacky and Sheahan,

I feel like you need to give him the first chance despite his average record. If he gets the break and does well, then there is nothing better for Australia.

Well, he already has more hundreds....

There is no doubt Alex Carey is new to international cricket but it's telling that the selectors have appointed him vice-captain of both the ODI and T20 teams. His leadership abilities were recognised early when GWS made him the club's inaugural skipper (and he won the first B&F). There is the hint of 'prodigious' about his talents. SANFL reserves football at fifteen, U18 state footballer, first grade cricket debut at fifteen, Man of the Match in a first grade one day final at sixteen. So leadership and temperament, I think, are pretty well covered. At club level he has always, in my time watching him, opened the batting - as he does for the Strikers in the Big Bash. I have watched Carey at close quarters for the best part of the last 7-8 years and I have also seen a lot of Tim Paine in his time at the top level. One thing is certain, Alex Carey is a better bat on his worst day than Tim Paine will ever be on his best. One is a talent, the other a plodder. And, no, I don't give a rats for the 'stats'. Come back in five years and tell me Paine is a better batsman. Good luck with that, by the way. As a keeper, no doubt Paine has more experience and has quality. Curiously, about 3-4 years ago, George Bailey responded to a question about Paine's future by saying he was, at that time, about fourth in line for Tasmania! So, his comeback has been quite startling although he has done well. Especially since, in his mind, he'd retired when suddenly parachuted into the T20 team in place of Wade. Carey, on the other hand, has been excellent for club and state so I'm surprised to read such negative comments about his keeping. In seven years, I have only seen him drop one catch and miss one stumping. He does, after all, hold the record for first-class dismissals in an Australian season. I didn't see much of the World Cup (not on TV in Dublin) so I can't comment on his keeping other to note he had more victims than any other gloveman. The real problem is Paine is the captain. If he was not, Carey would be playing now and would almost certainly be the Ashes keeper. So, what to do with Tim Paine, that is the question? He has given good service in the circumstances, which were not of his choosing, but Carey is a far better long term prospect, is already a far more talented batsman and will be just as good a keeper by the time his career plays out. In short, get him in asap.....Finch would be just as good a captain as Paine and probably contribute more at the end of the day....

To be fair, Alex Carey has three tons in all forms of the game at the higher level and several at club level (in all forms) where he has twice been 'Man of the One Day Final' because of his batting. He is a class batsman who has always opened in senior club cricket and he opens for the Strikers in the Big Bash. I'm also old enough to remember batsmen getting picked for Australia without a first-class ton to their name (Ian Davis, a case in point), so it would not be such a shock to see Carey as a batsman only in the Test team. Personally, I hope he is picked but accept that it would be unusual given the current circumstances surrounding Australian cricket. Steve Smith cannot be captain, David Warner has been told he cannot hold a senior rank (officially) within the team and Tim Paine, just a few months from retirement, has suddenly found himself captaining his country. Australian cricket is, at this time, living the old Chinese curse 'May you live in interesting times'. The irony is, cricket is suddenly interesting....again.

yes. good point. i had forgotten that. Watto wasn't playing! still think that cost us more than them. the lack of transition planning in that series, the loss of so much experience at once, the unwillingness to try a second spinner bowling WITH Warne, the bizarre Marto recall and f off. but... over there... we need to be hard and younger of heart and eye.

I actually wasn't just talking about 2013-14 as you took us back to 2005 & the Poms were whitewashed 5-0 in Australia 2006-07 by a team of rusty old players then too. I apologise if I missed your reference to away Ashes only in the original.