Carr quickly established himself as a member of the Kent side, and by the second week of August had claimed 42 wickets in his first six first-class games. There was now a clamour for his inclusion in the England team, all the more so as England were 2–1 down in the 1909 Ashes series at the time. The selectors agreed, and although Carr was twelfth man for the drawn game at Old Trafford, he was picked for the final match of the series at The Oval, becoming the first man ever to play Test cricket for England in his first year in the first-class game. Carr took 7/282 in the match, including 5/146 in the first innings, although his efforts could not force an English victory and the resulting draw meant that the Australians carried off the Ashes. Newspapers and Wisden heavily criticised the England captain Archie MacLaren for over-bowling Carr.