Alex Carey on Saturday became the first wicketkeeper to take eight catches (both innings combined) on Test debut. The Australia wicketkeeper surpassed the likes of Rishabh Pant (7) and five others to achieve the milestone in the first session on day 4. The Aussies won the first Ashes Test by nine wickets and now lead the series 1-0. 

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England all-rounder Chris Woakes edged Cameron Green’s delivery as Carey took his eighth catch of the game in the opening session on Saturday. The 30-year-old also effected the dismissals of Haseeb Hameed, Joe Root, Rory Burns and Jos Buttler in the visitors’ second innings. 

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Most catches by a wicketkeeper on Test debut:

Alex Carey (8)

Chris Read (7)

Brian Taber (7)

Chamara Dunusinghe (7)

Rishabh Pant (7)

Peter Nevill (7)

Alan Knott (7)

Quinton de Kock’s nine catches in a Test versus Sri Lanka is not on the list as the South African did not achieve the feat on his debut. 

Meanwhile, Carey’s teammate Nathan Lyon became the third Australian to take 400 Test wickets. Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) are the other Kangaroos in the list. 

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The spinner took a four-fer to guide Australia to the victory. Speaking after the game, Lyon said: “It hasn’t really hit me yet to be honest. No doubt I’ll get my phone and call my family and friends, and that will probably hit a little bit closer to home, I guess. But it’s something that I’m very proud of, there’s no doubt about that. It’s been some hard toil to get it, but it’s very rewarding, that’s for sure.”

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England resumed Day 4 at 220-2 and Lyon struck in the fourth over, triggering a collapse that netted eight wickets for 77 runs as the visiting team finished the match in a similar vein to how it started.

After restricting England’s second innings to 297, the Australians needed just 20 runs to clinch the match.