Before this summer, Glenn Phillips had never bowled at Test level.
On Saturday, the South African-born Black Caps big hitter tore through Australia’s middle order, taking 5-45 against the world Test champions.
With each wicket at the Basin Reserve, Phillips’s celebrations grew; from fist pumps, to wheeling away from the pitch, arms aloft, aeroplane-style.
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That is what it felt like to achieve a career ambition, having been denied the ball for so long.
Even in this Test, Kiwis captain Tim Southee didn’t offer Phillips any overs during Australia’s first innings 383, in which Cam Green finished unbeaten on 174.
But Phillips it was who removed the towering 24-year-old in Australia’s second innings, with a fizzing delivery off a good line and length that Green nicked onto his pad, allowing Will Young to take a diving catch at short leg.
Phillips — who started his international career as a wicketkeeper — opened up on his bowling dreams to Radio Tarana’s Rahul Patil on the sidelines of last year’s one-day international World Cup.
“It’s been a goal for the last couple of years to be able to bowl in Test cricket,” he said.
“If I can take a Test wicket at some point that’ll be a dream come true.”
Phillips, 27, has more than 100 international appearances for New Zealand in short-form cricket, claiming career-best ODI figures at last year’s World Cup against Australia.
He took 3-37 in Dharmasala — including top order stars David Warner, Travis Head and Steve Smith — as New Zealand fell short in a group-stage chase.
Until this summer, the right-hander had just the one Test to his name, in Sydney during New Zealand’s disastrous 2019/20 tour, when he was called-up for the dead rubber third Test due to mounting injuries and illness.
He made 52 as New Zealand fell to another loss, leaving with the impression he needed to make himself more valuable to Test selectors.
“We have a really strong Test side and the way to be able to break my way in there is to be able to offer more overs with the ball,” he said last year.
Given another chance at Test level this summer, Phillips has been thrown the ball as well, taking wickets in Bangladesh, at home to South Africa, and now against Australia.
“I’ve loved bowling since my beginning in cricket,” he said.
“It’s actually what I always wanted to be. I got stuck with keeping for a long time and I’ve been trying to get out of it for a very long time.
“I’ve always worked on my bowling in the nets. I probably work on my bowling more than my batting.”