Ashes 2019: Nick Compton questions Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc’s absence from the Australian team

Australia have come under the scanner following their one-wicket loss to England in the third Test of the ongoing Ashes at Leeds on Sunday. After having skittled out the opponents for just 67 in the first innings, Tim Paine’s side had all the opportunity to take an unassailable lead in the series as it set a target of 359 for the hosts. England had lost their ninth wicket at 286 but an incredible 76-run partnership between centurion Ben Stokes and Jack Leach led the hosts to an incredible win.

Australia were hurt even more by the two missed opportunities when England required two runs to win. It was in the same over of off-spinner Nathan Lyon that Leach survived a run-out threat and a lack of review saw the Kangaroos failing to overturn an lbw decision that was incorrect. Stokes then hit the winning runs to leave the home crowd hysteric.

“Why not Carey?”, asks Compton

Former England cricketer Nick Compton, the grandson of the legendary Denis Compton, was critical of Australia’s selection process and he tweeted his thoughts about it. A veteran of 16 matches, the 36-year-old opening batsman felt the Kangaroos erred in not playing Alex Carey, the sensational wicket-keeper-batsman who has made quite a name for himself in the limited-over formats but is yet to feature in the longer format.

Compton said in his tweet that he failed to understand why Carey didn’t feature in the series as he felt that he is better than both Tim Paine, the skipper and Matthew Wade, the other wicket-keeper-batsman in the side although the latter had hit a hundred in the first Test at Edgbaston that Australia won.

He also gave his opinion on the bowling saying: “The ball reverses in England and especially on the dry wickets and surfaces we find on modern grounds” and added that seamer Mitchell Starc is a must pick for Australia. The tall left-arm pacer, who made a record in the recent World Cup played also in England by taking a record 27 wickets, hasn’t played in any of the three games so far in the Ashes.

The decision has startled quite a few minds but analysts said other members of the Australian pace battery including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Peter Siddle found more favour with the team management.

How Alex Carey does not play is beyond me.. better than Wade and Paine. The ball reverses in England and especially on the dry wickets and surfaces we find on modern grounds – Starc is a must! #ashes

— Nick Compton (@thecompdog) August 26, 2019

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