Australian cricketer Alex Carey’s ice cold snub to Todd Murphy goes viral

It seemed like a perfectly reasonable request.

Can I please borrow your binoculars for a quick second, mate?

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Aussies within sight of record-breaking victory at The Oval.

Watch, Stream & Catch Up with Australia’s Home of Cricket on 7plus >>

But what happened next was totally unexpected and lit up social media.

Victorian spinner Todd Murphy is 22 years old and only made his debut for the Australian Test team this year.

He is Australia’s clear No.2 spinner behind Nathan Lyon but, with an injury to Lyon, he was recalled to the team for the fifth and final Test at The Oval.

Watching the day’s play from the stands, a moment was caught on the coverage when Murphy was keen to borrow star wicketkeeper Alex Carey’s binoculars to get a closer view of the action.

And, as you would expect from teammates, they all have each other’s back and what’s mine is yours and so on … right? Umm, well, not quite.

Carey, somewhat surprisingly, told Murphy that it wasn’t going to happen, with Murphy, awkwardly, having to accept the keeper’s decision with a ‘fair enough’ response.

Of course, nothing escapes the thousands of eyes of fans, who were left wondering what Carey’s explanation was for not sharing the binoculars with his younger teammate.

“No you can’t use the squad binoculars until you have 50 test wickets!” one fan suggested.

While another suggested it was “hierarchy at play”.

Cricket followers also felt a bit embarrassed for the young spinner.

“Poor old Murph. Has been ignored for most of the series, and now this,” one fan said on Twitter.

Murphy is playing just his sixth Test and was barely used in Australia’s defeat at Headingley.

But he has been in good form in this one, taking six wickets and making a career-high 34 with the bat, in a swashbuckling innings that included three sixes.

Those three big hits off England fast bowler Mark Wood helped Australia grab a first innings lead on an up-and-down second day.

However, despite his promising form, Carey gave him a brutal reminder of where he exactly sits in the pecking order.

Heading into the final day, Australia are now right back in the contest after seemingly being out of it a day ago.

After the retiring Stuart Broad walked onto the field through an Australian guard of honour and hit Mitchell Starc for six in the first over, James Anderson was lbw in the next to leave England all out for 395 in their second innings.

Needing 384 for victory, Australia looked as composed as they have all tour with the bat.

Usman Khawaja nurdled singles, cut wide balls and flicked deliveries on his pads to be 69 not out, while David Warner never looked particularly threatened en route to an unbeaten 58.

Helping Australia, too, was the fact England held back Mark Wood on a wicket offering little for the quicks.

When the speedster did bowl, he hit Khawaja on the helmet, but didn’t look as dangerous as in previous Tests.

Rain came to halt Australia’s charge and wash out the rest of day, but it has at least brought the draw into the equation if Australia find themselves in a position needing to save the Test on Monday and claim the series 2-1.

– With AAP