Record ton sets tone for Black Caps
So it’s not just Glenn Phillips’ kneecap that has some serious pop.
The Black Caps middle-order batsman dished out the pain to the West Indies instead of selfinflicting it – well, mostly – as the host nation won the second Twenty20 international at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval by 72 runs to seal a series win yesterday.
Phillips made the fastest T20 international century for New Zealand, taking just 46 balls to reach the landmark, beating the previous record by a ball.
He was dismissed in the last over of New Zealand’s innings – after again having his right kneecap pop out as it did in the series-opener on Friday night – after plundering 108 from 51 balls. Phillips struck eight sixes and 10 fours as he and Devon Conway took the visiting bowling lineup to pieces with a national record third-wicket partnership of 184 runs.
Conway contributed the most underplayed support role of such impressive substance – in Phillips’ shadow, he crafted an unbeaten 65 off 37 balls (four sixes and four fours) to give a second indication in as many outings in the black outfit as to how valuable he may be as his international career for his new home country unfolds.
The chase for New Zealand’s third-best T20 tally proved way too much for the tourists, giving the Black Caps an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-game series, with the final match at the same venue tonight.
Phillips, who turns 24 in a week, may not have been playing in the series if New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson had been left out ahead of the test series starting in Hamilton on Thursday.
After his blistering cameo of 22 off seven balls at Eden Park, the stocky right-hander made a mockery of theWindies ‘attack’ and his previous T20 international record yesterday.
He came into the encounter with a T20 international average of 16.20 and a best score of 56 but quickly hit his stride and the white ball to all parts of the Bay Oval embankment.
The previous quickest ton for New Zealand in T20s was a 47-ball knock from Colin Munro against the Windies at the same ground in 2018. Phillips brought up his century off 46 balls in the 19th over and celebrated extravagantly – which may not have been the wisest move given the precarious nature of his right knee.
Phillips and Conway’s thirdwicket stand – compiled in only 13.3 overs – was 13 runs greater than New Zealand’s previous best partnership for any wicket in T20 games and 60 better than the previous mark for the country’s third wicket.
Phillips also contributed a run out of opener Andre Fletcher and later claimed a superb diving catch to remove debutant Kyle Mayers before exclaiming to the joyous fans with arms outstretched as if to ask: ‘‘Are you not entertained?!’’.
On a blustery afternoon, the bowling from the visitors began as substandard and got worse, while their fielding display was poorer still.
Captain Kieron Pollard dropped Martin Guptill (34 off 23 balls) in the second over to a chance you’d expect a second grade Saturday mid-off to grasp, while the ground fielding was run ragged by the pressure applied by Phillips and Conway.