Glenn Phillips a game-changer as Black Caps chase series win vs South Africa

Friday, 16 February 2024

ANALYSIS: New Zealand’s most experienced bowlers looked unable to find adequate solutions to a problem very few expected they’d encounter in this series.

So Glenn Phillips took matters into his own right hand.

Another highlight-reel screamer from the Black Caps allrounder at gully transformed proceedings on day three of the second test against South Africa.

The catch that removed Keegan Petersen for 43 sparked a South African collapse - from 202-4 to all out 235 - offered New Zealand a lifeline.

Debutant pace bowler Will O’Rourke backed up the impetus provided by Phillips, racing through the tail to end with innings figures of 5-34 and a match return of 9-93.

At stumps on day three in Hamilton, New Zealand were 40-1 in their second innings after losing Devon Conway to the final ball of the day - needing another 227 runs for victory and a 2-0 series triumph.

So on day four, the Black Caps batters are still going to have to provide sufficient answers to ensure they can avoid sliding to one of the lowest points in their test history.

Phillips had played just one test prior to late last year, and his high-octane manner does feel ideally suited to white-ball cricket.

But the 27-year-old has proved himself desperate to impact a game in any manner possible, and his snare may prove the decisive factor in what’s become a must-follow encounter.

Before Phillips sprung to his right to snap up Petersen’s aerial offering, the hosts were pondering the prospect of what seemed set to be a simple test series win - their first over South Africa - evaporating in the Hamilton heat.

South Africa’s tally was anchored around a wonderful maiden test century from David Bedingham - the only player in the current side who was a first-choice selection for the Proteas in their previous series.

After the Seddon Park pitch regularly baffled batters and delighted bowlers on the first two days, Bedingham (110 from 141 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes) made it look milder than the culinary-challenged’s choice of butter chicken.

Weirdly, that might encourage the home side’s batters, rather than allow them to fret over the horrifying alternative of what would still be the highest-successful fourth-innings run-chase at this venue. The previous best mark is a mere 210, achieved by Australia at the start of the new millennium, on the back of an elite unbeaten century by Justin Langer.

After looking beautifully-balanced at the Bay Oval - and on day one at Seddon Park when Rachin Ravindra’s spin had a test-quality nature - New Zealand’s bowling mix seemed off-kilter on Thursday; as did captain Tim Southee’s efforts to best utilise it.

There had been just eight overs of new-ball bowling at the start of South Africa’s second innings when Ravindra’s left-arm orthodox deliveries were introduced.

He had initial success, removing makeshift opener Clyde Fortuin, and soon after Rourke came on two overs later, two more wickets fell to leave the visitors 39-3.

Neil Wagner did not bowl at all during the first session, as Southee persisted with Ravindra - who delivered too many loose balls later in a lengthy spell - and offspinner Phillips from a side without specialist spinner Mitchell Santner, who excelled in Mount Maunganui

It saw Bedingham - who received a snorter second-ball from O'Rourke which required alert and desperate defence - and Zubayr Hamza advance their tally to 88-3 at lunch.

Wagner was first used after 36 overs - the first time in his test career he'd been the sixth bowler New Zealand employed in an innings - and took a wicket with his fifth ball.

But his initial ascendancy did not last, and when Bedingham forced him for four through extra-cover off the back foot as the fifth-wicket partnership with Petersen grew, issues had become incredibly worrying for the Black Caps.

By the time Bedingham had progressed into the 80s, Wagner's field looked like one designed to offer the recognised batter a single while he was protecting the tail-end charlie in a last-wicket stand; the legside boundary patrolled by fielders.

Yet just when it felt like everything was slipping away from the Black Caps, Phillips reached out to grasp an opportunity they may yet haul in and save their blushes.