Glenn Phillips Fulfilling Test Bowling Dream with Four-Wicket Haul

In a remarkable turn of events at the Sylhet Test, New Zealand‘s Glenn Phillips, primarily known as a wicketkeeper-batter, showcased his prowess with the ball, securing a four-wicket haul on the opening day. Phillips, whose previous Test appearance was in 2020, expressed his long-standing dream of bowling at the Test match level.

“The opportunity to bowl at Test match level has been a dream of mine for a while now. The combination of the line-up and Bangladesh having left-handers presented the opportunity,” shared Phillips during the post-match media interaction.

The favorable match-up arose as Bangladesh loaded their top-order with left-handers, making Phillips’s off-spin a strategic option. This decision proved successful as Phillips claimed four crucial wickets, contributing significantly to New Zealand’s performance.

“I have been trying to lose the wicketkeeper-batter tag for a long time now. Hopefully, this (four-wicket haul) puts a little stamp on things,” Phillips expressed, highlighting his desire to contribute as an all-rounder.

Acknowledging the strength of New Zealand’s batting lineup, Phillips emphasized his role as an all-rounder and the need to provide additional dimensions to his game, especially in Test cricket.

“As far as processes go, I have worked for the last few years trying to find a process for my bowling. I have trained my batting for years and years but to be able to come to the biggest stage with the red ball, and to be able to go back to the process, and know I can trust and feel it coming out of the hand. I was a little bit lucky early on. Sometimes you need that luck,” he added.

Reflecting on his unexpected first wicket, Phillips humorously remarked, “I have dreamed of getting my first Test wicket for a long time, but that was not how I thought I would get it.”

Phillips praised the efforts of fellow bowlers, especially Tim Southee’s strategic use of spinners. Despite Bangladesh’s recovery, Phillips believes the game is evenly poised, and New Zealand’s long batting order can match Bangladesh’s score, setting the stage for an intriguing contest in the coming days.

“I think it will be really interesting to see how to play going forward. We have a long batting order of our own, so potentially if the pitch holds itself for long enough, that the first innings should hopefully be equal. It would set up a quite nice final day or two,” Phillips concluded.

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