Glenn Phillips played a counter-attacking knock to remember as the Kiwis struggled against hosts Bangladesh at Shere Bangla Nationa Stadium, Dhaka on Day 3 of the second Test. Phillips gave New Zealand something to fight for as he let go of the Test approach and went berserk against the menacing Bangladesh spinners. Phillips became the first batter to score a half-century on a bowling paradise of a wicket. He also became the third New Zealand batter to score fifty-plus runs at no.7 in a Test innings on Bangladesh soil.
Before Phillips' 72-ball 87, it was Brendon McCullum who scored 143 in 2004 at the same venue. Nine years later, BJ Watling scored an unbeaten 70 in Mirpur.
Phillips came in to bat after the visitors lost half their side for 46 on Day 1 from just 11.4 overs. After Day 2 was washed out due to rain, New Zealand needed a partnership to take a lead in the first innings. On Day 3, Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner departed within just two runs. Even before the wickets fell at the other end, Phillips had realised that the only way to score here was by taking on the spinners.
He was batting on 40 off just 35 balls when Kyle Jamieson joined him in the middle. He reached his half-century with a six followed by a four off Nayeem Hasan. Phillips saw an opportunity to score when part-time off-spinner Mominul Haque was introduced in the attack. 12 runs came off Haque's over. In the next over, left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam was given the ball and he delivered with Jamieson's wicket.
In Shoriful's next over, he levelled the scores with a boundary. Skipper Tim Southee looked to hit boundaries as well. But Shoriful ended Phillips' stay at the crease. He missed his half-century as he edged one to wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan. His 72-ball 87 featured nine fours and four sixes. After Phillips' wicket, Southee did not last long at the crease either. He was dismissed by Taijul Islam. New Zealand were bowled out for 180 from 37.1 overs.
New Zealand managed to take an eight-run lead. Before play was called off on Day 3, Bangladesh lost two wickets from eight overs with 38 runs on the board. Before Day 3, Stumps, Bangladesh were 38/2 with a 30-run lead in the bag.
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