Big Bash League just an IPL feeder
Nathan Coulter-Nile's feat as a game-breaker in Perth's final Champions League match sums up the Big Bash League's status as a feeder competition for the ravenous Indian Premier League.
Coulter-Nile's pace bowling and heavy lower-order hitting last summer helped the Scorchers into the BBL final and a place in India.
But his destructive spell for Mumbai in the final qualifier set Perth on the path to defeat as they ended a disappointing tour.
The right-armer claimed 3-18 as the Scorchers overcame a slow start to post a competitive 6-149, with Sam Whiteman becoming the team's first player to score a Twenty20 debut half century.
But the gulf between the teams - and leagues - was cruelly exposed by the Indians who raced to the target in 14.2 overs to reach the CLT20 semifinals.
Dwayne Smith (48), who is on Perth's radar as a potential international recruit this summer, and Rohit Sharma (51 not out) crushed the bowling attack with a withering onslaught, hammering seven sixes from just 49 deliveries faced between them.
Perth coach Justin Langer would not comment on the rules which allowed IPL teams to field four internationals compared with just two for the visiting teams, but said Coulter-Nile's loss had been impossible to cover.
"What can you do about it?" he said. "That is the system. We try to groom our players to play for Australia but I guess there is another carrot there for them now in the form of the IPL.
"Maybe we can be proud of the fact that Nathan Coulter-Nile is playing for the Mumbai Indians which is one of the biggest sports franchises in the world.
"It is frustrating to come up against him but it is what it is."
Langer said Perth's younger bowlers needed to master delivering yorkers like Coulter-Nile.
The WACA made about $550,000 from the tournament, including $330,000 compensation for the loss of Mike Hussey and Coulter-Nile to IPL teams.
