Glenn Phillips snared his first five-wicket bag on day three. Photo / Photosport
Glenn Phillips snared his first five-wicket bag on day three. Photo / Photosport
For the second day in a row, Glenn Phillips was almost alone in landing a few blows on the world’s top-ranked team.
And for the second day in a row, his efforts were insufficient to prevent Australia from strengthening their grip on the first test.
Phillips followed his rapid71 with a feat much more impressive and significantly less conceivable, boosting the Black Caps’ long-shot bid to claim victory at the Basin Reserve.
A burgeoning allrounder steadily shedding that qualifier, Phillips on Saturday became the first New Zealand spinner in 15 years to take a five-wicket bag at home, helping to bowl out Australia for 164.
The hosts were left chasing a record 369, having dug a daunting hole on a miserable second day, before Rachin Ravindra (56no) lifted his side to 111-3 at stumps.
Still 258 short, the challenge awaiting on day four would have been far greater were it not for Phillips’ star turn.
The 27-year-old’s haul of 5-45 was his maiden career bag — he began the match with only 51 first-class wickets — and his list of victims would have satisfied any bowler.
In quick succession, Phillips removed Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey and Cameron Green, tearing through the tourists’ batting order.
His success might have been watched with some ambivalence by Tim Southee. In two straight tests New Zealand have omitted specialist Mitchell Santner, only to have spin threatening to become a defining factor.
But this outcome was hardly predictable. Although England’s Jack Leach achieved the deed a year ago, the last New Zealand spinner to snag five at the Basin Reserve was Daniel Vettori in 2006.
The former captain, an assistant in the opposition dressing room, could have allowed himself a smile as Phillips wildly celebrated each of his wickets.
Glenn Phillips celebrates his first career five-wicket haul. Photo / Photosport
His exuberance is an attribute that sets him apart in this team and it has felt at times this week like Phillips is the only player not overawed by the world champions.
That wouldn’t be entirely accurate — despite Australia having lost only once in their last 31 tests against New Zealand — and Matt Henry today added another three wickets to his own five-for in the first innings.
But without Phillips, playing his sixth test, this week would have further deepened any psychological wounds.
Australia started the third morning with a 217-run lead, intent on batting the hosts out of the match. That aim appeared near when they progressed to 127-4 after lunch, ahead by 331, with the Black Caps’ four-prong seam attack blunter than ever.
Phillips, overlooked at the bowling crease in the first innings, had required only four overs in the first session to draw out Khawaja and have him stumped, taking to lunch figures of 1-29.
Emerging early from the break to send down a few more balls, that extra work was quickly repaid. In the space of five scarcely believable overs, Phillips snared 4-10 with a teasing line outside off, utilising flight and bounce to evade the middle of the bat.
And he could have had more, with Scott Kuggeleijn and sub fielder Henry Nicholls shelling simple outfield catches, the latest in a string of unsightly drops this summer.
Nicholls was in place after Will O’Rourke had been forced off the field with hamstring tightness, abandoning a delivery stride in his eighth over. Any injury would be problematic ahead of the second test at Hagley Oval, especially since fourth seamer Kuggeleijn was trusted for only three overs in the second innings.
With Henry (3-36) finishing what Southee (2-46) had started, Australia’s total of 164 was their sixth-lowest against New Zealand in test history.
Yet given the highest successful run chase at the Basin was 277-3 by Pakistan in 2003, and given the Black Caps’ all-time best was 324-5 against Pakistan in 1994, the tourists’ run tally looked like plenty.
That feeling was enhanced when Tom Latham slashed at a short and wide one from Nathan Lyon, continuing a rotten run. The opener will head to Hagley without a test half-century in a year, averaging 16.8 in his last 12 innings.
Once Kane Williamson completed a forgettable test by clipping Lyon straight to leg slip, the target seemed increasingly out of sight. Then again, Phillips is yet to bat.
