Alex Carey practices stumping ahead of Ashes Test after Jonny Bairstow dismissal

Alex Carey is showing no complacency with the gloves, despite his quick thinking at Lord’s, as the Australian wicketkeeper was put through his paces ahead of the third Ashes Test at Headingley. 

Carey’s stumping of Jonny Bairstow has dominated public discourse in England and Australia since the Aussies won the second Test at the Home of Cricket, with the hosts continuing their complaints heading into the Leeds showdown.

England argue that, while the stumping was lawful, it went against the spirit of the game. Australia maintain that they did nothing wrong in stumping Bairstow when the batter thought the ball was dead.

Carey has shown his quick hands throughout the series and was working hard once more at Headingley, underlining that he will show no mercy in letting England off the hook if they find themselves outside of the crease.

Captain Pat has borne the brunt of the criticism, with the skipper under attack for not withdrawing his appeal at Lord’s as well as accusations of breaching ‘the spirit of cricket’.

Alex Carey went through his stumping drills ahead of the third Ashes Test at Headingley

The wicketkeeper has been at the centre of a huge stumping row this week

But Cummins is adamant he cannot understand what all the fuss is about, after Bairstow was dismissed after wandering out of his crease.

‘Everyone that has played cricket and knows cricket, you just see that as out, end of story,’ Cummins said.

‘I don’t think there’s any discussion. It’s out.

‘A conversation about the spirit of cricket doesn’t even come into a dismissal like that. It was, plain and simple, a stumping.

‘If the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn’t be looking at the opposition, I’d probably be thinking about our own batter and thinking it’s pretty silly.’

The fallout from the Lord’s drama has largely overshadowed the fact England are 2-0 down in the series, with Australia able to win their first Ashes in the country in 22 years with victory at Headingley.

The hosts’ heralded fearless approach has failed in the Ashes, opening the door for Australia in both Tests.

It is not out of the question the hosts are attempting to use the Bairstow stumping to create a sideshow.

‘I know what our team does and that’s we concentrate on, ourselves,’ Cummins said.

His stumping of Jonny Bairstow has angered England fans and delighted Australians

‘When we haven’t been playing up to scratch we look pretty deeply at what we are doing and try to make amends.

‘We don’t apportion blame to conditions, or opposition, or anything else going on.

‘I’ve got no idea (if England are deliberately deflecting attention) but I’m really proud of how our boys have conducted themselves on this tour, especially on that day five.

‘The way they maintained respect for the opposition, the umpires, the crowd. Their dignity was first class.’