"I actually deleted Instagram" - Alex Carey reveals online harassment after Jonny Bairstow stumping saga

Australia's wicketkeeper Alex Carey has shared his experiences regarding the online harassment he endured from English fans following his involvement in the Jonny Bairstow dismissal controversy during the Ashes 2023 series at Lord's.

The incident transpired when England's wicketkeeper Bairstow was stumped by Australia's Alex Carey. Bairstow had strayed from his crease at the conclusion of a Cameron Green over, mistakenly assuming the ball was no longer active. However, the third umpire ruled in favor of Australia's appeal as the ball was still considered 'live,' resulting in Bairstow's departure.

This incident sparked substantial debates among fans and pundits, heightening the animosity towards the Australian team throughout the series. At the center of this maelstrom was Carey, who disclosed to Fox Sports that he became the target of online abuse from English supporters.

Alex Carey reveals online harassment after Jonny Bairstow stumping saga

Carey acknowledged that he was unaccustomed to encountering such hostility. He admitted to not delving deeply into the matter but noted that the comments escalated into unpleasant territory among those monitoring the situation online. This escalation prompted him to temporarily deactivate his Instagram account for about a week.

“There was a lot of nasty comments that came my way, or came the family’s way, so post incident it was pretty aggressive and something new as well. I haven’t had that animosity come my way so that was new. It’s not uncommon for us players to receive these, but there was just a few more on this occasion."

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"But 24 hours or 48 hours after that, things simmer down and you understand you’ve done nothing wrong and nothing changes. I actually deleted Instagram for a week or so and just put the phone down and focused on being present with the family,” the Aussie added.

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