Wicketkeeper started northern Australia tour with scores of 0, 0 and 5 as he fought the flu
Josh Inglis was relieved to be back to full health and back in the runs after a “miserable” 10 days that rocked the Australian wicketkeeper.
Inglis was Australia’s top-scorer with a dynamic 87 in his side’s 84-run loss to South Africa in Mackay on Friday, ending a run of low scores across formats.
The 30-year-old battled the flu in Darwin at the beginning of the BKT Tyres T20 series against South Africa, confining himself to his room in an effort to beat the illness.
However, as Australia had no back-up ‘keeper present in the Northern Territory for the start of the series, Inglis was required to play despite being “crook”.
He completed his 20 overs behind the stumps, made a first-ball duck and then was able to sit out the second game as Alex Carey arrived to take the gloves.
When Inglis returned for the third match, he was dismissed for another first-baller which was followed by five runs off nine balls in the first one-day international.
“I must have got it from home,” Inglis said of his illness’ origin.
“(Son) Oscar’s at daycare now so there’s something coming through the door every other week.
“I was pretty crook. The day of the first game I was in bed all day with body aches and fever and stuff.
“I spent probably a week to 10 days away from the team so it was a pretty miserable week.
“I didn’t get a lot done, just in the room, curtains shut, air-con on.”
Much to his relief, it was a wonderful return to form for the West Aussie.
The ease at which he found the conditions in contrast to his teammates was best illustrated by the boundary counts; he hit 12 boundaries (10 fours and two sixes) in his 74-ball knock while his 10 teammates combined for 11.
Inglis was one of Keshav Maharaj’s five victims in the first ODI on Tuesday night, bowled playing him on the back foot and exposing his stumps to the wily spinner.
The South African veteran went wicketless on Friday however, with Inglis having success with a change of approach to the slower bowlers.
“It was a conscious effort to play really straight early,” Inglis said.
“(In Cairns) I was just trying to play too square.
“I wasn’t sharp enough with my plans going into the game … there wasn’t a lot of spin tonight, so that probably helped.”
Inglis has called for more of his teammates to contribute with the bat in the series finale at Great Barrier Reef Arena on Sunday, with he and Mitch Marsh the only two to pass 50 in the two one-dayers.
Australia were bowled out in the 38th over, leaving 74 balls unbowled in their innings, and were dismissed in the 41st over in the first ODI.
The Aussies might point to the rust in the 50-over format having not played it since the Champions Trophy in March, but neither have their opponents South Africa.
Inglis however said transitioning between the two white-ball formats was something he still struggles with.
“It’s something I’ve found quite difficult,” Inglis said.
“We don’t play a lot of 50-over cricket at all, really.
“You obviously play a lot more T20 cricket nowadays.
“Fifty overs is a long, long time. I know the guys at the top of the order go pretty hard but in the middle you’ve got so much time there.
“(For me) it’s just about just finding the right tempo and assessing the conditions.”
BKT Tyres ODI Series – Australia v South Africa
August 19: South Africa won by 98 runs
August 22: South Africa won by 84 runs
August 24: Third ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST
Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Adam Zampa
South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen
