NZ vs AUS | 'Golden Arm' Glenn Phillips' glorious fifer not enough to rescue sinking Kiwi ship on Day 3

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Glenn Phillips proved to be the pivotal act on Saturday with a maiden Test fifer to help bowl out Australia for 164. However, the 204-run first-innings deficit along with three early wickets meant the Kiwis were left chasing history albeit Rachin Ravindra's unbeaten fifty kept their chances alive.

‌‌‌‌Brief score: NZ 111/3 (Ravindra 56*, Young 15; Lyon 16-7-27-2) & 179 need 258 more runs to defeat AUS 164 (Lyon 41, Green 34; Phillips 16-4-45-5) & 383 

Nathan Lyon made the Black Caps pay heavily for Tim Southee's dropped sitter on the last ball of the previous evening by striking six quick boundaries in the first half-hour of Day 3 before being undone by Matt Henry for 41. However, disciplined spells from the Kiwi contingent thereafter steadily built up pressure on the Kangaroos, eventually provoking Usman Khawaja to fatally dance down the track against Glenn Phillips. William O'Rourke proved to be particularly effective, conceding just seven runs in as many overs while bowling four maidens, but a few looseners from Scott Kuggeleijn and Phillips late in the session allowed Travis Head to push the visitors' score up to 113/4 at Lunch. 

The second session seemed to kick off ominously as Southee let another sitter slip, this time of first-innings centurion Cameron Green off his own bowling, on just the fourth ball after the break. However, Phillips ensured the Kiwis stayed in the hunt, beginning with the scalps of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh on successive deliveries before the skipper redeemed himself with a brilliant grab at catching cover to dispatch Alex Carey. The 27-year-old completed his maiden Test fifer courtesy of a Will Young blinder at short leg to get rid of Green, and suddenly left the Kangaroos reeling at 146/8. Even though two more dropped dollies in the deep deprived Phillips of further success, Matt Henry cleaned up the tail with little fuss to set the Kiwis a target of 369.

With the deck beginning to turn square, Pat Cummins introduced Lyon into the attack as early as the sixth over. The veteran thanked his skipper by dismissing Tom Latham and Kane Williamson either side of Tea, inspiring the skipper to bring Head into the game as well. The South Australian proceeded to strike down Will Young in his very first over with help from a Steve Smith worldie at slip, leaving the Black Caps reeling at 59/3. However, Daryl Mitchell dug deep thereafter to grind down 63 balls while Rachin Ravindra kept the scoreboard ticking to register a second fifty-plus score in Test cricket and the duo ended the day with an unbeaten partnership of 51 runs.

Impressive

Special kid

That wicket

One of the greatest

Rank turner

Quality bowling

Quality all rounder

Stunning

Unbelievable

Minnow

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