In a thrilling clash against New Zealand, Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey fell just shy of a century but expressed his relief after Australia secured a victory on Day Four of the second Test. Carey’s unbeaten 98 proved pivotal as Australia successfully chased down 279 runs, clinching a 2–0 series win.
Carey, speaking post-match, admitted his satisfaction at not facing another delivery, acknowledging the pressure of the situation that might have led to a rash shot. Reflecting on his dismissals in the first game in Wellington, Carey emphasized the importance of a solid plan, understanding the conditions, bowlers, and building a partnership with Mitchell Marsh.
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“Pretty happy I didn’t have to face another ball, I was pretty up and about at that stage and might have played a rash shot with the energy going the way it was. [I was] a little bit disappointed with the first game’s dismissals [in Wellington]. But today I kept to a really solid plan, read the conditions, read the bowlers and the partnership as well. We always felt pretty confident,” said Alex Carey in an interview with ABC Radio.
Captain Pat Cummins, who played a crucial role with an unbeaten 33 and four wickets in the second innings, lauded the team’s ability to find ways to win in challenging circumstances.
Reflecting on the tense match, Pat Cummins remarked, “Pretty tense, everyone was nervous the last couple of hours. Amazing win. (On winning runs) Anyway possible to win, I had no idea he (Carey) was on 98. The toss helped, it was funny how quickly the match moved on Day 1. First innings leads are always key for this reason.”
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He added, “We’ve been on the other side of Tests plenty of time, I just told the boys to keep the scoreboard moving, stay busy and put the pressure on the opposition. We’ve got an experienced side, the story of this series has been guys standing up in crunch moments. Love playing Test matches, the best format of cricket, and it pays off on days like this.”
