Boland lauds Carey's bravado

Bowling with the wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps can bruise a fast bowler’s ego, but Australia paceman Scott Boland said Alex Carey's stellar glovework in the ongoing Ashes series has helped him grow comfortable with it.

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Carey's wicketkeeping masterclass has been a key factor in Australia’s unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series and the 34-year-old was particularly impressive in the second Test at the Gabba, where he stood up to Boland and Michael Neser.

With the wicketkeeper breathing down their necks, English batters were pretty much confined to the crease, which meant the home bowlers did not really need to vary their length.

"I've just never really bowled to the keeper up to the stumps before,’ Boland told reporters ahead of the Boxing Day Test.

“Everyone wants to be a fast bowler, and you don’t really like the keeper up to the stumps.

“But I've seen over the last month how effective it is and how still I can keep their batters by Alex being up to the stumps.”