Inglis is stepping up down the order

SHOULD Big Bash League clubs exist to win trophies or promote Aussies for international cricket?

The age-old debate about winning versus development has largely been avoided in the BBL. That was until Ricky Ponting screwed up his face at Perth Scorchers demoting 25year-old wicketkeeper Josh Inglis (inset) to No.4 after a breakout season as an opening batsman.

“From a purely Australian cricket point of view I’m a bit unhappy with the Perth Scorchers,” Ponting fumed earlier this season. “Having the three overseas players (Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone and Colin Munro) at the top of the order and pushing one of our more talented young top-order batsmen down the order. I know what the Scorchers are on about, they’re trying to win a BBL.

“But if I had my Australian selector’s hat on I’d like to see this boy up the top of the order.

“I feel he’s someone who can potentially play for Australia in a few different formats and it just feels to me that he’s being starved of a season with no opportunities to bat at the top of the order.”

But Perth coach Adam Voges could argue he has done Inglis a favour. The Englishborn right-hander showed last season he could attack the new ball and now his class against spin is shining bright as the Scorchers play for a place in the grand final.

“The biggest thing we’ve seen with Ingo this year is how adaptable he is,” teammate Jason Behrendorff said. “He played so well at the top of the order last year but this year his role has changed at No. 4. He plays spin so well, he’s got amazing footwork.”

Inglis as opener averaged 28.9 with a strikerate of 154 in BBL09. Inglis the middle-order batsman is averaging 35.6 at a strikerate of 142.2.