Alex Carey given one of Aussie cricket’s biggest honours after controversial Bairstow dismissal

Embattled Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey has been handed one of the Australian cricket team’s most important jobs following England’s defeat by Australia at Lord’s in the second Ashes Test.

Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow saw him and the rest of the tourists branded cheats, with Stuart Broad saying he was baffled that not one Australian stood up to say the dismissal was wrong.

Now the Australian team have responded to the scandal by temporarily handing Carey the honour of leading the team song after Test wins. 

The role of singing ‘Under the Southern Cross’ has been held for a decade by Nathan Lyon, but the spinner’s leg injury has ruled him out of the rest of the series.

Carey’s stumping of Bairstow during England’s fourth-innings run chase saw the Aussies branded cheats by furious fans and experts

The song-master role holds a major symbolic position within the Aussie team and has been handed down over the years from the likes of David Boon to Ian Healy, Justin Langer, Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting.

Recently Lyon spoke of the prestigious honour, and how important it is for the side.

‘I’m not nearly as nervous as what I was when I first got it,’ Lyon said.

‘That’s another really humbling moment when ‘Huss’ [Hussey] gave me the honour of leading that team song.

‘I feel like it’s level pegging with the captain if you asked me to have that honour to lead the team song for each and every individual inside that team, including the staff. 

‘It means everything for us to be able to celebrate.’

Carey, who has captained Australia in ODIs, was told by Stuart Broad that ‘you’ll forever be remembered’ for the controversial Bairstow dismissal – and Pat Cummins is anticipating more abuse once the side gets to Headingly for the third Test.

‘There’s nothing like loud crowds that bring a team together,’ Cummins told reporters.

‘He’s [Carey] one of the guys we’ll get around.’

The role of singing ‘Under the Southern Cross’ has been held for a decade by Nathan Lyon

Lyon says that the important song-master role is on level pegging with captaining the side – and now that honour falls to Carey (pictured)

‘But these kind of moments can really strengthen a side. I thought ‘Kez’ has had another fantastic game, he’s broken some records … he’s been fantastic behind the wickets.

‘We’ll look after him.’

Australia can clinch the Ashes series with a win at Headingly, while all the pressure will be on the home side to perform after a frustrating end to the match at Lord’s.