Of all the factors that derailed the Bazball regime, none were as unlikely as the supple, rubber-encased hands of two Antipodean wicketkeepers.
Alex Carey last month watched with interest as a strategy, first trialled by India last year with encouraging results and then deployed by the Australian with skilled efficiency during the home Ashes, was exploited even more ruthlessly by New Zealand’s Tom Blundell in last month’s final act of the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era.
From five Tests in Australia last summer, 11 England wickets fell while Carey was standing up to the stumps to pace bowlers. From two fewer Tests in the Kiwis’ series win in the UK, there were 19 England dismissals while Blundell kept up to NZ’s seamers.
A tactic that had hardly been used against England before India’s tour in 2025 – Carey standing up to a small selection of Scott Boland and Mitch Marsh deliveries during the 2023 Ashes aside, CricViz recorded just 10 balls that had opposition keepers standing up to pace during Stokes’ entire regime – became one of their biggest vulnerabilities.
By one measure, what Carey and Blundell pulled off was unprecedented. The average speeds of Scott Boland (135.39kph) and Nathan Smith (133.27kph) when their keepers stood up to the stumps are the fastest ever recorded (minimum 60 balls). In fact, Boland (five times) and Michael Neser (once) even topped 140kph on a handful of deliveries while Carey was up, the first time that’s been recorded.
The qualities of top-grade stumpers have rarely been one of Test cricket’s selling points. The cliché goes that a good wicketkeeper should go unnoticed. Yet the trans-Tasman rivalry, to be rekindled over four Tests next home season, might change that given it boasts two of the rarely-celebrated craft’s finest exponents.
“I thought he was fantastic behind the stumps on wickets that had a bit in them up and down,” Carey said of Blundell 150 days out from the South Australian’s home Christmas Test against the Black Caps at Adelaide Oval.
“I thought his performances played a big role in them beating England.
“Their bowling attack probably suited the ‘keeper coming up to the stumps at times. (Matt) Henry’s really accurate with his bowling, a bit like Scotty Boland, Nathan Smith is another one, probably similar to a (Michael) Neser type.
“You also need an attack that is comfortable with it. We saw that throughout our Australian summer with ‘Ness’ and ‘Barrel’ (Boland) being open to it.
“You know that they’re going to hit a pretty good area most of the time, which makes life a little bit easier for a wicky.”
It may be infuriating for Bazball acolytes that Carey, whose wicketkeeping had been better known to England fans for the moral panic it induced at Lord’s three years ago, played a small part in the downfall of a reign that won just two of its final 10 Tests.
Against England batters who had thrown fast bowlers off their lengths by walking at them, the ploy was a masterstroke. The batting average against pace of one of their poster boys, Harry Brook, has been halved when keepers stand up to him (30.00, out six times) compared to when they are back (58.50).
It has been even more effective against the now retired Stokes (out four times with the keeper up for an average of 18.50, versus 44.71 when the keeper is back) and the now discarded Zac Crawley (also out four times with the keeper up, averaging 15.00, versus 39.96 when they are not).
Of the 30 England wickets that have fallen when Carey and Blundell have crowded them against seam, all but five were top-order batters.
In the UK, the bulk of NZ’s wickets when Blundell was up were bowleds and lbws, with Henry and Smith in particular expertly seaming balls back into the stumps with their targets trapped on the crease; in Australia, there were only two bowleds and lbws, with Carey’s presence creating catches behind the wicket.
“We’re always looking at what works against opponents and finding those little opportunities,” Carey told cricket.com.au.
“We’re seeing different plans, and we’re seeing probably different strike rates of batters. In most things in sport, you’re always looking to improve and find competitive advantages.
“Batters have got to stay in the crease a bit more when they do it, so the bowlers are able to pitch it up maybe a fraction fuller, which is where you typically hit the stumps.
“In England, it can nip back off a pretty good length, the ball doesn’t carry quite as well as (in Australia), so you can hit the stumps from that back of the length.
“Whereas I think at times when I went up (in Australia), there was some really good catching behind the stumps from Marnus (Labuschagne) and ‘Smudge’ (Steve Smith) when we got some nicks.”
As important, Carey notes, is buy-in from bowlers. Boland and Neser both acknowledged it was initially a hit to their egos. The results swiftly dismissed their concerns.
“I think it’s really key for the bowlers to be happy for the wicketkeeper to do it,” said Carey, “and our bowlers were fantastic – they hit great areas, and created those chances.”
It suggests the daring and possibly dangerous ploy of these capable keepers giving themselves hardly more than 20 metres to sight and then catch deliveries from some of the game’s fastest bowlers looks to be a tactic that goes well beyond McCullum’s former charges.
It seems certain both Carey and Blundell will be attempting it next summer when the keepers go head-to-head.
The Black Caps’ accurate attack led by the brilliant Henry is tailor-made for it with Will O’Rourke and Kyle Jamieson the only bowlers quick enough to stop Blundell reaching for his helmet.
While Carey insists he is also not game to stand up to Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc, the likelihood his side will rely heavily on the likes of Boland, Neser, and perhaps even others like Fergus O’Neill and Xavier Bartlett, over their busy run of Tests over the coming 12 months is high.
“Bowlers aren’t getting any slower, that’s for sure, so I guess you adapt with that,” said Carey.
“Your 130s (kph) are probably about as slow as they get now. In previous years a new-ball bowler might take the new ball, swing it around, and do that (at a slower pace). Whereas our quicks are just getting quicker, and we’ve got depth here in Australia.”
And while the 33-year-old is grateful those in his profession are getting their flowers, do not expect him to revel in it.
“We did it a few times and a few times more (during the Ashes) – and then it became, in my opinion, spoken about a little bit too much,” laughs Carey.
“I was lucky enough to get a catch up there and create some opportunities – then it gets blown out a little bit in in my opinion. As a wicketkeeper, it’s nice to get a little bit of recognition. But the bowlers were incredible.”
