Labour of glove: Tireless Carey embraces workload

Alex Carey believes he is ready to combat Australia's hectic schedule, confident concentration won't be an issue as he keeps wicket to more than 16,000 balls in the space of a year.

Carey will enter Sunday's second Test against South Africa after being near faultless with the gloves in Durban, headlined by a crucial diving catch on day five.

Australia are now three Tests into a run of up to 21 over a 12-month period, beginning with their drawn series against Bangladesh and culminating in next year's Ashes.

Much of the talk of that run has centred on Australia's bowlers and whether they can play each Test, but Carey's workload is worth noting as well.

Based on the average length of Australia's Tests over the past five years, Carey will squat down and keep to no less than 16,340 balls during that 12-month period.

That figure doesn't take into account the glovework the South Australian does at training, in warm-ups or other forms of cricket, like ODIs or the Sheffield Shield.

"I know we talk about the number of games, but there are gaps between most series," Carey said. "I don't see it as an issue. I feel like, in terms of experience and stuff outside of cricket, there is a good balance there.

"And just continue to train the way I play and play each game as it comes and see how that goes."

Carey, who played his 50th Test against Bangladesh in August, is not one to switch off too much between balls, but perhaps because of his particularly high fitness levels, concentration has never been much of an issue.

"I don't engage too much with the slips," he said. "When I'm out there, I like to stay pretty focused and go through my processes.

"That's the way I do it. There is probably a slight little shift as the bowler is running in to catch it, that split second to reset. 

"I probably just look to make sure my process each ball is where I want it to be."

What can't be debated is that Carey is keeping finer with age. By the time the Ashes ends next year just shy of his 36th birthday, he will already be Australia's fifth oldest wicketkeeper of the past 60 years.

Last summer's Ashes was close to the best series of Carey's career, coming up to the stumps to Michael Neser and Scott Boland and toying with England's batters.

His diving catch down the legside to remove Wiaan Mulder in the first Test against South Africa then proved crucial, low and to his left off Josh Hazlewood.

"It's been great to see his growth, especially over the last three or four seasons," former keeper and assistant coach Matt Wade said.

"Him coming up to the stumps last summer has probably changed a little bit of what people are doing in Test matches now."

The 35-year-old is however currently enduring one of the leanest batting spells of his career, with a top score of 30 from nine innings in 2026; the only calendar year during which he has not reached 50.

It is a trend he will doubtless be keen to bring to an end in the second Test, as Australia look to take a series-winning victory in Gqeberha.

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First Test: Australia won by 214 runs

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

South Africa's first Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (second Test onwards), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster