[Watch] Alex Carey gets a huge reprieve as bails stay on the stumps despite contact with Shamar Joseph's delivery in 2nd AUS vs WI TestÂ
At a time when Australia needed luck the most, it certainly favored them, as Alex Carey survived despite a delivery from Shamar Joseph making contact with the bails, but not enough to dislodge them. The incident took place on Day 2 of the second Test against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane.
Carey has a huge role to play being the last recognized batter following Australia's unprecedented batting collapse to the West Indies pacers, who are making the pink ball talk. Australia were tottering at 54/5 when the wicketkeeper came out to bat. He made a promising start, scoring eight runs off his first 10 deliveries before he almost lost his wicket.
Shamar Joseph, coming around the wicket to the left-handed batter, bowled a length ball that breached through the gap between Alex Carey's bat and pad, narrowly evading the inside edge. The ball just kissed the bail in its trajectory, but the contact was not strong enough to get the bail off the groove.
Watch the incident right here:
The West Indies players all went up, appealing for a catch, but Shamar Joseph talked the team out of it. Replays showed that the bail actually spun upon contact with the ball, but refused to budge from its position.
Australia hope to match West Indies' first innings tally on the back of Carey's counter-attack
Australia only had to see out a couple of overs at the end of the first session, but the brisk phase of play turned out to be a nightmare as the top-order crumbled without much resistance.
Steve Smith's shift to the top of the order has hardly gone as planned as he was dismissed in the first over. The likes of Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head followed suit in quick succession, with the latter departing for a golden duck.
Australia were reduced to 24/4 after five overs, and have recovered to reach close to the three-figure mark. As of writing, the hosts are placed at 93/5 after 18 overs, with Carey batting on 22 runs off 23 deliveries.
How many runs will Australia post in the first innings of the second Test? Let us know what you think.