Australian Wicket-keeper Tim Paine down with illness; backup named

After regaining The Ashes, the Australian team is now facing the England team in the ODI series. The English side has been performing significantly well in ODIs since 2015. They let go the slow players from their ODI team and brought in a flavour of aggression into the team.

In the first ODI against Australia, England beat them comprehensively. They chased down the highest ever target at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australia would want to make a comeback in the second ODI. However, their wicket-keeper Tim Paine is down due to an illness.

Paine suffers with pain

After the retirements of Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin, the Aussies have found it tough to find a good wicket keeper who can contribute well with the bat. Even though Matthew Wade had assumed the responsibilities of being the side’s wicket-keeper, he didn’t come good with the bat. He was ousted from the team and Tim Paine was named his replacement who made a comeback to the side after a seven-year hiatus.

Paine had a decent outing with the bat and the gloves in the Ashes. In the first ODI, he scored 27 off 31 balls and took one catch behind the stumps. But, Paine has been hit by a gastro bug and is under a cloud for Friday’s match against England in Brisbane.

Alex Carey called-up

Uncapped South Australian Alex Carey has been called into Australia’s ODI squad as cover for Tim Paine. Carey scored a brilliant century for the Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday in the Big Bash League(BBL).

He is now called for the national duties just in case if Tim Paine fails to prove his fitness. If Paine is cleared to play, Carey will return to the Strikers camp ahead of their next match, away to the Renegades on Monday. Carey wishes to play for the Australian side in all three formats and is the second leading run scorer in BBL

The 26-year-old had been discussed as an Ashes-bolter earlier in the summer and while he missed selection in the Test squad, he did post a maiden first-class hundred for South Australia in the JLT Sheffield Shield in December.

“Alex Carey, who will be on standby, just got a beautiful hundred last night. He’s taken his game to another level. He showed a lot of promise in Shield cricket over the last couple of years, and then to come out this year when there was a lot of talk about the Ashes ‘keeping spot, and who was going to play, the way that he put his hand up and has continued to do so for such a young guy is really impressive.” said Australia opener Aaron Finch.

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