In-form Phillips back on familiar ground
For the first time in his short international career, Glenn Phillips can start to feel certain of his place in the Black Caps’ Twenty20 lineup.
He heads into today’s series opener against Pakistan at Eden Park in Auckland having scored a 51-ball 108 in his last outing in a black shirt, against the West Indies at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui at the end of last month.
But at the ground where he was handed his international debut almost four years ago, he is preparing to have to begin anew.
‘‘It’s good to have some confidence going into this series,’’ he said yesterday.
‘‘But for me and probably every other player that plays international cricket it comes back to every ball you face, and it’s the start of a new series, so I’m taking it back to square one.’’
Phillips will relish the chance to return to his home ground, where he scored a seven-ball 22 three weeks ago, in the first of two T20 wins over the West Indies, but he said he was focusing on the job in front of him.
‘‘For me personally every ground is special in its own right,’’ he said. ‘‘Making my debut here was incredible, it being my home ground, but I’ve had success at other grounds as well.
‘‘It’s just about bringing what I can to the team and doing the best that I can to do my role for the boys.’’
Martin Guptill is another who calls Eden Park home and a batsman who has remained a constant this summer while there’s been plenty of change around him in the T20 setup.
First his regular opening partner, Colin Munro, was axed, with the Black Caps selectors looking elsewhere once the big-hitting left-hander decided to take up a contract in Australia’s Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers, then his good friend Ross Taylor was dropped from the middle order.
‘‘You don’t get affected too much, I don’t think – it’s all part of professional sport,’’ Guptill said of coping with the departures.
Taylor has vowed to fight for his T20 spot with the Central Stags in the upcoming Super Smash, which begins on Christmas Eve, and Guptill is sure he still has plenty left to offer. ‘‘It’s not great losing a mate from the team, but I know what Ross is like, he’ll come back stronger.’’
Pakistan’s veteran seamer Wahab Riaz said yesterday they would be ready to go, despite only having a week of preparation as the Ministry of Health denied them permission to train while in managed isolation after several players tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival.
‘‘As a professional you have to deal with all these things. It was hard for the boys to stay in the bubble, then come out and have six or seven days of practice, but we have utilised it and hopefully we are ready to play tomorrow.
‘‘There can be some consequences, but as professionals we have been playing cricket for a long, long time, and we know how to get our bodies ready in time.’’
Pakistan suffered a big blow when their captain and leading batsman Babar Azam fractured his right thumb last week, an injury which has left allrounder Shadab Khan in charge for this series.