Carey contribution highlights England's Bairstow woes

In-form Alex Carey has kept particularly well to the now-injured Nathan Lyon in the Ashes series. (AP PHOTO)

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey has emerged as Australia's most influential player in this year's Ashes, with data showing he has so far been worth 168 more runs than his opposite number Jonny Bairstow.

Carey has enjoyed his best tour to date on this year's trip to England, and is on track to break the all-time dismissal record for one series.

Across the first three Ashes Tests, Carey has taken 20 of the 22 chances presented to him, a rate of 90.9 per cent.

Five of those have come in stumpings, with Carey keeping particularly well to the now-injured Nathan Lyon as England attempted to take the spinner down.

In contrast, Bairstow has struggled.

The Englishman has taken 12 of 20 chances, a strike-rate of 60 per cent.

Bairstow's misses have cost England 191 runs, with the errors including a failure to move for an Usman Khawaja edge at the start of the fourth innings at Edgbaston.

Carey's two drops, meanwhile, have come at the expense of 50.

The Australian has let through only 20 byes for the series, in comparison to Bairstow's 46.

Carey's batting is virtually equivalent to the more experienced Bairstow's, having scored 142 runs to the Englishman's 141.

Criticism of Carey's form behind the stumps early in his time in the Australia team focused on indecision over balls passing between the wicketkeeper and the slips.

But that has largely evaporated, with former Australia keeper Ian Healy noting that while the 31-year-old's technique had not radically altered, he now appeared much more confident.

"His practice habits, which have always been good, have created great sideways power which enables soft glovework," Healy told AAP.

"When you’re confident in those two (it makes a big difference). 

"He’s watching the ball very well and the ball is going into his gloves better than ever .

"When it’s wobbling after the bat , he’s not overdoing his movement and surviving perfectly."

Carey's dismissals have him on track to break Brad Haddin's record of 29 in one series, set during the 2013 Ashes.

England have rejected calls to replace the under-pressure Bairstow with Ben Foakes for next week's fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Foakes was reliable behind the stumps for England during Bairstow's absence with a broken leg earlier this year.

He also scored a century for Surrey in county cricket last month, but his strike-rate of less than 60 underscored the belief his batting does not fit England's Bazball template.

"Common sense tells me that Jonny Bairstow is not fit," former England opener Geoffrey Boycott wrote in his column in the UK's Telegraph this week. 

"Last year he suffered a horrific injury with a broken leg in two places and damaged ligaments.

"He isn’t moving 100 per cent right and is short of competitive batting and wicketkeeping. 

"He has been selected on last summer’s marvellous match-winning batting, but at this moment in time is a shadow of his best."

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