The backing up revolution: Phillips sprints out of the blocks
Phillips could have been excused for trudging at the non-striker's end in the last over of New Zealand's innings, though his last-ditch effort squeezed every last run to break the back of the Sri Lanka side at the SCG, who eventually fell by 65 runs.
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Glenn Phillips smashes 64-ball 104 to help New Zealand post a good total against Sri Lanka in their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 clash.
Instead of the conventional backing up approach where a non-striker would time a walk with the bowler's delivery stride, Phillips instead crouched into a sprinting stance similar to an Olympic sprinter, and jumped out of the blocks to sneak a single for a mistimed Mitchell Santner slash.
In spite of a brilliant hundred, which was discussed at length in front of the press and on the Digital Dailywith Sanjana Ganesan and Simon Doull, Phillips' tactic was a big talking point.
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"It was very much spur of the moment. I actually had my three-point start wrong. It's supposed to be the other arm and other leg," Phillips said in the post-match press conference.
"I guess the position was to be able to see the bowlers and take off as quick as possible. From a sprinter's start when you're trying not to be out of the crease as much as possible.
"If I had my bat behind the crease, I thought it was actually slower to turn and accelerate off. Hence the reason for having my foot inside the crease and going from there."
Movement at the non-striker's end has been a hot topic in recent months with several flashpoints sparking debate, though Phillips understands the updated playing conditions and the wording surrounding the run-out laws, and insists there is a risk to stealing ground.
"At the end of the day, it's my responsibility to make sure 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."
The new tactic did not overshadow what was an outstanding knock from Phillips, who could make a case for being an early Player of the Tournament contender with Virat Kohli among others.
He finished with 104 from 64 balls, pulling into the leg-side to bring up three figures in the 19th over, in a knock laced with 14 boundaries.
At one stage 15/3 after four overs, Phillips steadied the ship with Daryl Mitchell (22), before unleashing with the tail.
In the throes of T20 World Cup pressure, and with his team in a hole, Phillips feels he will always consider it one of his greatest knocks.
"I think it's probably going to be at the top (for the moment). I do have one other hundred, and that was pretty special as well, but to be able to do it on a World Cup stage just adds a little bit more juice to it."
"To be able to have a World Cup win in front of a sticky situation is actually the most satisfying part. The communication that me and Daryl had, the way that the ball was bowled up front, it was all crucial to the win today."
As for his new tactic: does he think others will adopt it?
"Maybe some people will use it. Maybe some people won't. Obviously 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 is probably going to get me a little bit further than my reaches."