Jackson Barrett: How West Australian Josh Inglis rose to score stunning century on Test debut in Sri Lanka

When Perth Scorchers brought Josh Inglis in to fill a hole in their side in 2017, they picked him because he had “something about him”. “I just thought there was something about this kid and how he goes about it,” Inglis’ long-time wicketkeeping coach Damon Rowan told The West Australian last year. It is that “something about him” that has made the diminutive wicketkeeper-batter a raging success on the international white-ball scene and now, a Test centurion on debut. Lauded for a his temperament and ability to get busy early in his innings, Inglis got off the mark with a boundary off Jeffrey Vandersay, raced to a half-century and then went on to make a maiden ton in a dream debut. “He has looked as good as anyone on this surface. Reverse-sweeps, using his feet, normal sweeps, laps. He looks right at home at Test level,” Simon Katich told Channel 7. Inglis used his feet well, he got deep in his crease to the spin and he followed Usman Khawaja into sweeping and paddling behind square. And he deposited Asitha Fernando’s short ball attempts to boundary. Many a bowler has been sucked into going short to Inglis. After carrying bags and running drinks across three years for the Test team, Inglis couldn’t have asked for a better debut. Just weeks after Nathan McSweeney — axed after three matches — Sam Konstas and Beau Webster all played their first match against Jasprit Bumrah, Inglis walked to the crease at 3-401 on an excellent batting wicket. His parents were there to see it through bleary eyes after a mad overnight dash from Perth to reach Galle hours before he was handed his baggy green, as was his partner Megan and baby son Oscar. There is hardly a position in world sport that makes good players “bide their time” like Test wicketkeepers. Inglis is the latest in a long and decorated line of glovemen — Adam Gilchrist, Brad Haddin and Alex Carey among them — to undergo Australian cricket’s wicket-keeping apprenticeship. The most recent Australian to score a Test century on debut was Inglis’ West Australian and Perth Scorchers coach Adam Voges. His 130 against the West Indies in 2015 came eight years after he debuted in both one-day internationals and Twenty20s for Australia. The past three men to make tons on Test debut for Australia are all West Aussies, with Shaun Marsh and Marcus North all doing it. Inglis has already played 26 ODI’s and 29 T20s for Australia. He has also won a World Cup and captained the country in both formats. All four prove their is no better preparation for facing international bowlers than facing international bowlers.