New Zealand v Australia: Black Caps facing selection questions in first test - Andrew Alderson

Glenn Phillips thrived on day three at the Basin Reserve. Photo / Photosport

By Andrew Alderson at the Basin Reserve

A coming-of-age spell of off-spin bowling from Glenn Phillips has hauled New Zealand back into the first cricket test against Australia at Wellington.

Considered a part-timer, as the Black Caps opted for the homogeneity of a four-prong right-arm pace attack, Phillips dismantled the tourists on the third day.

The 27-year-old brought contagious enthusiasm to his craft and the joy escalated with each wicket.

Phillips’ return of 5-45 from 16 overs, including four maidens, is his first five-for in a 54-match first-class career.

He floated deliveries into the Wellington northerly and removed Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey.

Khawaja was stumped in a flawed attack, Head miscued to long-off, Carey flayed to short cover and Marsh and Green fell victim to Will Young snares at short leg.

So why was Phillips not considered for bowling duties in the protracted first innings?

The 116-run record 10th-wicket stand for Australia against New Zealand between Josh Hazlewood and Green could have potentially been curtailed earlier with someone taking the ball away from the left-handed Hazlewood.

Phillips defended captain Tim Southee’s decision at the second-day press conference, saying Green was facing the majority of deliveries and could have cashed in to the shorter boundary with the turn. Still, he must have taken satisfaction in bamboozling the Australian No 4 during the second dig.

Regardless, Phillips left no one in doubt about his desire to roll the arm over. He practises ad nauseam, even between sessions on match days, and ventured this prescient gem after his 71 with the bat enabled New Zealand to survive the first innings with a degree of credibility intact.

“I’m always keen to have a bowl… at whatever-handed batter, but the way Lyon bowled showed there’s definitely a bit of turn. Who knows? Maybe in the second innings I might get a go.”

Phillips’ success is also bittersweet.

Why did the Black Caps opt against using specialist spinner Mitchell Santner at the Basin Reserve, especially after admitting he should have been in the XI for the win that secured a series victory over South Africa at Hamilton.

“I think in hindsight, we probably got that wrong the way the pitch behaved,” Stead said in the build-up.

They did not have to turn far, so to speak, to see evidence of bounce and spin taking wickets in recent matches at Wellington.

England’s Jack Leach took eight in New Zealand’s follow-on victory last summer and Michael Bracewell secured five in the hosts’ win against Sri Lanka.

New Zealand might consider whether their commitment to tried-and-true pace is placing a moratorium on the power of a turning ball.