Carey and McSweeney hundreds deny New South Wales after Lyon’s inroads

New South Wales 366 (Konstas 152, Philippe 56) and 282 for 6 dec (Konstas 105, Henriques 52) drew with South Australia 260 (Carey 90, Lyon 5-47) and 309 for 5 (McSweeney 127*, Carey 111, Lyon 3-94)

Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey has fired a warning shot ahead of this summer’s tour by India, notching a superb century in South Australia’s Sheffield Shield draw with New South Wales.

After posting a rapid-fire 90 in the first innings at Cricket Central, Carey pulled South Australia back from the brink with 111 from 158 deliveries in the second on day four. The two knocks combined to mark his most successful start to a Sheffield Shield season since his Test debut in 2021.

Carey’s efforts came after he finished last summer with an unbeaten 98 against New Zealand, and will be reassuring for an Australian side preparing to lose Cameron Green for at least part of the summer through his back injury.

On Friday, Carey steadied the ship after Test team-mate Nathan Lyon showed his own form by sparking a collapse of 4 for 9 as the visitors chased 389 for victory.

Lyon tickled the off-stump of Travis Head in the most significant of three early wickets, with nightwatchman Nathan McAndrew and Conor McInerney joining the superstar batter in the dugout courtesy of the spinner.

Carey came to the crease just as South Australia needed a hero at 23 for 4 and forged a 182-run partnership with captain Nathan McSweeney, who carved out a brilliant century of his own and faced 283 balls throughout the final day.

Carey struck a blow in his tit-for-tat with Lyon by sweeping the veteran past deep midwicket for his ninth four of the innings to reach his half-century, which guided South Australia into triple figures and relative stability.

Just after lunch, Carey brought up a seventh first-class century with a single to deep cover off Liam Hatcher.

Ollie Davies dropped Carey at point on 110 but he fell a run later when he glanced Tanveer Sangha to a deep leg slip.

Carey’s ton returned serve to rival gloveman Josh Inglis, who hit a century of his own for Western Australia earlier this week after a white-ball tour of the UK during which the pair shared wicketkeeping duties.

McSweeney picked up where Carey left off but with their tail unlikely to wag, South Australia looked reluctant to take the game on late, despite having five wickets in hand.

Lyon could not repeat his early heroics as Moises Henriques threw batter Nic Maddinson the ball late on when it was clear no result would eventuate.