[1] Carlstein made his first-class debut at the age of 16 for Orange Free State against Natal at Bloemfontein in 1954–55; in the second innings he scored 54 and added 161 for the seventh wicket with his captain, Stephen Hanson.

[6] While the team was in New Zealand in late February 1964, he received the news that his wife and three of his four children had died in a motor accident, and returned to South Africa immediately.

[7] Carlstein continued to play first-class cricket until 1979–80, when he was 41, 25 seasons after his first match.

His highest score was 229 for Transvaal against the International Cavaliers in 1962–63, which was also his most successful season, with 852 runs at 71.00 including two other centuries.

After his first-class career ended in the early 1980s he moved to Perth in Western Australia, where he played and then coached at the Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club.