It took a rearguard effort from Australia to ace a tense 279-run chase at Hagley Oval against New Zealand on Monday (March 11) and it only became possible after an unbeaten 98-run knock by wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey. Carey counterattacked and racked up his runs at a healthy strike rate of 79.67 to ensure that the reigning WTC champions crossed the line with three wickets at the end.
Carey's well-crafted knock has earned him praise from India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin lauded Carey and his (Carey's) skipper Pat Cummins for playing outstanding knocks and securing a hard-fought win.
Both Carey and Cummins added 61 runs for the eighth wicket and their partnership turned out to be extremely crucial in the context of the game. Ashwin took to the social media platform 'X' to extol the pair and also heaped praise on the Australian team management for backing Carey throughout the course of the season despite his underwhelming returns.
"Pat Cummins legendary stuff and well done to Alex Carey.
After the kind of summer Carey has had, all the backing from the team management has paid dividends. #AUSvNZ," wrote Ashwin on X.
Notably, Carey had recorded just two fifty-plus scores in the ongoing season ahead of the Christchurch Test. His fifty-plus score (53) had come in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in Melbourne whereas the second one (65) came in a losing cause against the West Indies at The Gabba in Brisbane.
Despite his low returns, Carey's spot in the team was never questioned and the team management gave him the kind of support he required during his lean patch. The southpaw repaid the trust of the team and the management by scoring a match-winning 98* and rescued Australia when they were tottering at 81 with half their side back in the hutch.
