Image Credit- AFP
Glenn Phillips would not survive. He started off as a
top-order batsman in his professional cricket career, but he freely
acknowledged that he wasn’t doing enough to knock out New Zealand’s established
openers. Martin Guptill was also out there dealing with the first ball in 340
of the 367 occasions he donned the Black Cap, because very few at the time
could match what he delivered.
Dale, Glenn’s brother, is currently observing from a
distance and still finds it hard to believe this is all genuine. They used to
pose such threat, acting as though the cutlery they were holding at the dinner
table was actually a cricket bat. In the same vein as the McCullums and the
Marshalls, they aim to play together once more after playing together for New
Zealand at the Under-19 level.
“We were always very competitive in the backyard
when we were growing up,” Dale said. “The goal was always there to
play big games at a World Cup. Especially for Glenn to be where he has got to
now… It was more of a dream as opposed to thinking it would become a reality. I
don’t think either of us imagined where he would be right now. It’s pretty cool
to see that one of those dreams has come true.”
The journey has been lengthy. There were few
opportunities at home. Phillips needed to broaden his perspective. Due to the
T20 cricket break, he has found himself representing teams outside of New
Zealand for over half of his career (98 out of 218 matches). With a slight
twist, he eventually achieved his lifelong dream of becoming the Caribbean
Premier League’s top scorer (1147 runs) during his three-year tenure as an
opener from 2018 to 2020.
This occurred in November of three years ago, right
when the world was emerging from a pandemic. And Phillips made full use of the
time all of them had to spend alone strengthening himself. This is why.
“I was lucky enough to have a coach who went to
the Youth Commonwealth Games. And he taught me a lot about sprinting and about
fitness. And his concept was always the same – if it’s between you and another
player, and if you’re significantly fitter than the other player [when] you
have the exact same skills, it gives you an edge over that player. That has
always stuck with me.”
As one of New Zealand’s finishers, Phillips might have
the opportunity to add more highlights to his reel on Wednesday when he has to
figure out how to stop the bowling attack that has the highest strike rate
(26.2), highest average (19.6), most wickets (85), and best economy rate (4.5)
in the World Cup.At his core, Phillips is an entertainer, and now that he’s
playing for Otago versus Northern Districts in the Plunket Shield, he’ll be
seen live by millions of people, including Dale, who will have his own battle
on the same day.
“Honestly for me,” Phillips said, “it’s
about taking my mind away from personal worries or performance or I guess
putting too much pressure on myself. To take focus off myself and give it to
the externals around me; give it to the team, give it to the crowd and give it
to my family. To leave an impression on those who are watching, ideally for the
better.”