by Booney » Thu Jan 18, 2018 12:32 pm
Uncapped South Australian Alex Carey has been called in to Australia's ODI squad as cover for Tim Paine, who is battling illness.
Paine has been hit by a gastro bug and is under a cloud for Friday's match against England in Brisbane.
Carey, who scored a brilliant century for Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday night, has been called in as cover in case Paine is unable to prove his fitness.
If Paine is cleared to play, Carey will return to the Strikers camp ahead of their next match, away to the Renegades on Monday.
The 26-year-old had been discussed as an Ashes bolter earlier in the summer and while he missed selection in the Test squad, he did post a maiden first-class hundred for South Australia in the JLT Sheffield Shield in December.
"Alex Carey, who will be on standby, just got a beautiful hundred last night," said Australia opener Aaron Finc
"He's taken his game to another level. He showed a lot of promise in Shield cricket over the last couple of years, and then to come out this year when there was a lot of talk about the Ashes 'keeping spot, and who was going to play, the way that he put his hand up and has continued to do so for such a young guy is really impressive."
Only Hurricanes sensation D'Arcy Short has scored more runs than Carey's 368 in the KFC BBL this summer, which have come from the top of the order at an average of 61.33 and a strike-rate of 139.92.
The left-hander was considered a chance for ODI selection ahead of Paine prior to the squad announcement for this Gillette ODI series, though ultimately missed out.
"Playing for your country in all formats is something that I really want to do," Carey said on December 29 following a match-winning 83 from 59 balls for the Strikers against Sydney Sixers.
"This stuff might help, hopefully put a few good performances on the board and you never know.
"Tim (Paine) was really good with the gloves in this format last year. We'll wait and see which way they go."
That chance could well come for Carey tomorrow, pending Paine's fitness as the gastro bug that has hampered Australia all summer continues.
Josh Hazlewood is another absence from the squad, with the paceman heading home with a virus that is unrelated to the gastro situation.
"We've seen it all through the summer from both sides, there's been quite a lot of illness, which is strange," Finch added.
"While Josh has gone down, Patty (Cummins) and Steve (Smith) during the Test match, does cause a bit of angst among the group – it causes a bit of separation, guys don't want to hang around with each other in case they're spreading it on – but the guys that are there to come in and potentially take their spot if they need are in great form as well."
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
