Alex Carey and David Bedingham in ball-handling controversy in World Test Championship final

Alex Carey has found himself at the centre of controversy once again in his first trip back to Lord’s since the infamous Jonny Bairstow stumping.

Carey’s successful stumping of Bairstow during the second innings of the Lord’s Test in the 2023 Ashes sparked furious scenes in the Long Room, saw three Marylebone Cricket Club members banned and even prompted comment from then-British prime minister Rishi Sunak.

And, back at the Home of Cricket, we almost saw similar scenes just before lunch on day two of the World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa.

World Test Championship final: Day two, as it happened

Australia continues its quest for a second straight World Test Championship title on day two of final against South Africa at Lord’s.

In the final over of a first session that featured just one wicket, Beau Webster angled in at set batter David Bedingham, who appeared to edge into his thigh pads.

The ball trickled down onto the top of his right pad, rolling off the right side of the flap.

But before it could fall out and into the hands of Carey, who had swept around from behind the stumps to try and claim a catch, Bedingham plucked the ball out and threw it onto the pitch.

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After a sheepish stare between Carey and Bedingham, a few Australian players, chiefly Usman Khawaja, politely asked the question to umpire Richard Illingworth.

Illingworth, after a consultation with fellow umpire Chris Gaffaney, signalled that the ball was dead when Bedingham grabbed it.

Former Australia Test opener Matthew Hayden appeared to agree in commentary for Prime Video, saying as he watched the ball briefly catch between Bedingham’s thighs on a slow-motion replay: “That moment there it’s actually dead, when it remains still.”

But co-commentators Ian Smith and Stuart Broad, the England seamer who famously criticised Carey and captain Pat Cummins for not withdrawing their appeal for Bairstow’s wicket two years ago, were not so sure of Bedingham’s innocence.

Bairstow complains about Lord’s stumping

Jonny Bairstow claims Australia claimed illegal catches during the Ashes, as part of his first in-depth reflection on his controversial stumping by Alex Carey in the second Test.

“I wonder if Alex Carey just said ‘I’m not getting involved’,” Broad said as Australia’s wicketkeeper chuckled on his way back to the stumps after a brief chat with Bedingham.

“I think what we’re looking for here is, if there’s been an inside edge, Carey was running around and would’ve been able to catch the ball.

“The ball never stopped. It was always moving. Carey was pouncing and the Aussies were smiling.”

‘Handled the ball’ was removed as an official means of dismissal in cricket in 2017, but there are provisions under obstructing the field for the sort of actions Bedingham made that could have seen him dismissed.

Law 37.3.1 states: ‘The striker is out [for] obstructing the field if wilful obstruction or distraction by either batter prevents the striker being out caught.’

And 37.4 says: “Either batter is out [for] obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder.”

Ultimately, no-one was too het up about the incident and moved on pretty quickly as Bedingham clattered two boundaries to take his team to lunch with his wicket intact.