On Saturday, New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips produced a stunning performance against Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Phillips smashed a brilliant century – his first at the T20 World Cup – as Black Caps posted a competitive total of 167-7 in 20 overs.
Phillips’ knock of 104 from 64 deliveries and Trent Boult’s four-wicket haul guided New Zealand to another big win in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Besides his superb batting, Phillips also demonstrated his unique way of leaving the crease from the non-striker’s end. In the post-match presser, he threw light on his sprinter-like-stance at the death-overs.
“I guess the position was to see the bowlers and take off as quickly as possible from a sprinter’s start when you’re trying not to be out of the crease as much as possible – there’s been a lot going around Mankads and leaving the crease,” said Phillips.
“At the end of the day, it’s my responsibility to ensure that I;m in the crease and leave at the right time. If the bowler is doing his job, then he has the right to be able to take the bails off.”
Phillips kept his left foot within the crease, his right hand grasping the bat on the turf, and his face tilted towards the Sri Lankan pacer Lahiru Kumara while the latter came in to bowl. Phillips believes that by using this strategy, he would get off to a faster start than if he had kept his bat grounded in the crease like traditional batters.
“For me to be able to get into that start, that position as quick as possible, it just made sense. The real reason I did it was the position I was getting into; if I had my bat behind the crease, I thought it was slower to turn and accelerate off. Hence the reason for having my foot inside the crease and going from there,” added the 25-year-old.
When asked if other players would employ his revolutionary stance in T20 cricket, Phillips said: “Who knows? Maybe some people will use it. Maybe some people won’t. The extension of the bat being in the crease gives you another extra foot or two, but at the end of the day, I’ve got little arms. So my speed will probably get me a little further than my reaches.”
New Zealand are currently at the top of the table in Group 1 and will next face England in their Super 12 fixture at The Gabba on Tuesday, November 1.
