Alex Carey at the centre of a haircut controversy amid Ashes 2023 (AP Photo)
The Sun reported that Alex Carey hadn’t paid £30 to a barber after getting a haircut however Cricket Australia and Steve Smith debunked those myths
Australian cricketer Alex Carey has been at the heart of controversy after controversy, the wicketkeeper-batter dismissed Jonny Bairstow in the second Test of Ashes 2023 sparking a major ‘spirit of cricket’ debate. A few days later, Carey is making headlines again, for all the wrong reasons.
Carey now finds himself at the centre of yet another fiasco as a barber in England alleged that the Australian player didn’t pay him after getting a haircut. Ahead of the start of play on Day 3, The Sun reported that a person named Adam Mahmood, from Doc Barnet’s Barber Shop, said that he was still waiting to be paid by Carey.
According to Mahmood, the cricketer owes him £30 after Carey supposedly said that he wasn’t carrying any cash. The report further added that the barber set a deadline until Monday for the repayment.
Not just Carey but Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne both decided to get a haircut ahead of the third Test. While the remaining two players paid for their trim, Carey didn’t and he even refused to click pictures.
“Well, there’s a Tesco cash machine literally round the corner he could have run to,” the barber was quoted as saying by the Sun.
“He could have nipped back to their hotel and been no more than five minutes but instead he said he would transfer it. Maybe he forgot. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt but if it’s not paid by Monday, I won’t be happy,” said Mahmood.
And that’s not all, former England captain Alastair Cook coincidentally visited the same barber and he’s the one who talked about Carey not paying the barber, live on commentary.
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“There was one more… Alex – Alex Carey, the wicketkeeper – and he said hasn’t paid!” Cook was heard saying on air.
“It’s one of those cash-only ones and he promised him he would have a transfer [done] later in the day and this was just below it shut,” the former England legend added.
However, Cricket Australia refuted those claims against Alex Carey and Steve Smith has also reacted strongly coming out in support of his teammate.
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According to a report in Fox Cricket, CA have denied any wrongdoing by Carey, saying that the cricketer hadn’t gotten a haircut. It was someone else who had went to the barber’s shop but the player wasn’t named.
The Australian board also clarified that the player didn’t pay by cash but through an international cash transfer, and they would also show the receipt for the same to debunk any myths.
Smith also clarified the situation by posting an update on Meta’s new platform threads, confirming that Carey hadn’t gotten a haircut.
“I can confirm that Alex Carey has not had a haircut since we were in London. Get your facts right The Sun,” Smith lashed out.