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Offspinner Ashley Nurse has made a comeback into the West Indies T20 squad after more than two years

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2017After more than two years out of the side, offspinner Ashley Nurse has made a comeback into the West Indies T20 squad. The 28-year old last played a T20 international in January 2015, but has been picked for the one-off game against England later this month, in place of legspinner Samuel Badree, who was unavailable due to a prior commitment. West Indies retained the other 12 players that featured in the squad for the home T20I against India in July.

West Indies T20 squad changes

IN: Ashley Nurse
OUT: Samuel Badree
Squad: Carlos Brathwaite (captain), Ronsford Beaton, Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Ashley Nurse, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton (wk), Kesrick Williams

Nurse has so far gone wicketless in the four T20 internationals he has played since his debut in April 2011 but has been one of the main bowlers for Barbados in List A matches. He was the leading wicket-taker in their domestic 50-over competition last season. Recently, however, he hasn’t been as impressive, going wicketless for Trinbago Knight Riders in the two CPL matches he has played.”We have a good mix of experience and youth that should adapt to English conditions quickly,” chairman of selectors, Courtney Browne said. “Coming off the series win against India in the Caribbean in July our expectations is to see the team play a highly competitive game and bring that T20 Caribbean atmosphere to England.”The experience Browne talks about includes the likes of Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels and Jerome Taylor. And leading the younger players is opening batsman Evin Lewis, who scored a 53-ball hundred against India less than two months ago.The only T20 between England and West Indies will take place on September 16 in Chester-le-Street, before a five-match ODI series starts on September 19 at Old Trafford.

Sophie Ecclestone, the uncapped Lancashire left-arm spinner, has been named in England Women’s 15-member squad for the three-match T20 series at home against Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-2016Sophie Ecclestone, the uncapped Lancashire left-arm spinner, has been named in England Women’s 15-member squad for the three-match T20 series at home against Pakistan. Her Lancashire team-mate, Kate Cross, however, was left out. Kent left-arm seamer Natasha Farrant, who was not picked for World T20 as well as the ODI series against Pakistan, replaced the injured Anya Shrubsole.Ecclestone and Farrant are the two changes to the squad that swept Pakistan 3-0 in the ODI series. Ecclestone, only 17, is the second left-arm spinner in the squad behind Alexandra Hartley, who made her international debut against Pakistan in the third ODI in Taunton. She is yet to play a T20 international.

England Women’s squad for Pakistan T20s

Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Natasha Farrant, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alexandra Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones (wk), Laura Marsh, Natalie Sciver, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt

“The T20 series brings a new set of challenges and further opportunities for the players, and I’m really pleased to call-up Sophie Ecclestone for the first time, and to welcome Tash Farrant back into the dressing room,” Mark Robinson, the head coach, said.”Sophie brings youth, vitality and another left-arm spin option alongside Alex Hartley into the squad. We have two world-class offspinners in Danielle Hazell and Laura Marsh, but we also need to be aware of the talent that we have underneath, and making sure that we are developing the likes of Alex and Sophie, by having them in the group and giving them international match-day experience.”Robinson said that it was a “real shame” that seamer Beth Langston missed on of selection again, because of injury. “She worked tremendously hard during the winter and had a great tour to Sri Lanka with the England Women’s Academy, but unfortunately hasn’t been able to get involved so far this summer because of her ankle,” he said.Robinson also said that Cross was still in the side’s plans, despite being overlooked for the Pakistan T20 series. “Kate Cross has been left out of this squad to face Pakistan, but we do see her as a Twenty20 bowler moving forwards,” he said. “There is no reason why she can’t be an outstanding bowler across all formats of the game, and we feel that there’s a window now where we can do some focused technical work with her away from match situations to help get her ready to perform at her best in the Kia Super League next month.”The T20 series begins with the first match at the Brightside Ground in Bristol on Sunday.

Michael Carberry may have been disappointed to depart for 67 but his contribution added significantly to a frustrating day for the Division One leaders, Middlesex

David Lloyd at the Ageas Bowl17-May-2015
ScorecardMichael Carberry struck his fourth half-century of the season•Getty Images

Of Alastair Cook’s three former Test opening partners on view in this match, Michael Carberry is surely the least likely to add to his small collection of caps – and some would argue that Sam Robson and Nick Compton are no more than long shots themselves.Be that as it may, but Carberry has seldom been anything other than a mainstay of Hampshire’s batting line-up, in all forms of the game, and their hopes of avoiding a desperate relegation fight on their return to the Championship’s top division may well depend on the now 34-year-old’s weight of runs.Carberry, happily settled into the No. 3 slot these days, has passed 50 in four of Hampshire’s five games to date. And while he has neither made it to three figures as yet nor been able to orchestrate a victory, his solid form should be of comfort to the south-coast club as they seek to establish a foothold.The left-hander certainly did not let them down on this occasion. And while he will have been disappointed to depart for 67 – after three-and-a-quarter hours of graft and shortly before the second new ball became available – his contribution added significantly to a frustrating day for the Division One leaders.Middlesex have not played a Championship match at this venue since 2006 so just might have read more into a dry, well-grassed pitch than the hosts (who would have batted had the coin come down in their favour). But while the scoreline perhaps indicated that bowling first was a mistake, there was enough happening all day – and especially before lunch – to support the decision of new captain James Franklin.The visitors were not as disciplined as they should have been with the first new ball, conceding a stack of extras and failing to hit consistent lines and lengths. But, that said, the outside edge was still beaten on a good many occasions – and Hampshire’s top three of Jimmy Adams, Liam Dawson and Carberry defended well when necessary while missing few opportunities to put away the bad delivery.Adams and Dawson possibly had to pinch themselves when looking at a scoreboard reading 85 for 0 from 21 overs. Steven Finn, bowling a full length most of the time, might have had two or three wickets on another morning but neither Toby Roland-Jones nor James Harris hit their straps – with Harris especially wayward despite starting this contest with 29 Championship wickets to his credit.The longer the morning went on wicketless, the more Middlesex rued an early run-out chance when Roland-Jones missed the target from mid-off after non-striker Adams, on 5, had been belatedly sent back by Dawson.In the end, it was medium-pacer Neil Dexter who came to the aid of Franklin, who has taken over the captaincy from Australia’s Caribbean-bound Adam Voges. Having played nicely, Dawson pushed at an away-swinger to edge a catch behind.Still, if Middlesex thought that would be the start of something big then the old firm of Adams and Carberry put them right with a stand of 75. Runs came steadily, apart from when Finn tried his luck around the wicket to Carberry and was cut, cover driven and angled away past backward point for three fours in an over.Adams’ hopes of a century just a few days after the birth of his second son ended when he deflected a Harris yorker into his stumps and James Vince gifted spinner Ollie Rayner his wicket by hoisting a drive to deepish mid-on.It was the departure of Carberry, though, that came as the biggest surprise because he looked set to make a day of it before failing to defend securely on the back foot against Harris. That was a nasty blow for Hampshire but Will Smith hit back sensibly to make an unbeaten half-century and guarantee the hosts first-day honours.

Steven Finn is unlikely to play in the first Test against India having missed practice on Tuesday

George Dobell in Ahmedabad13-Nov-2012Steven Finn is unlikely to play in the first Test against India having missed practice on Tuesday. The England fast bowler was forced off the pitch after four overs of the first warm-up game of the tour against India A and was subsequently diagnosed with a thigh strain. Stuart Broad also missed the third warm-up game with a bruised heel.While Finn and Broad bowled with impressive pace at practice on Sunday, it seems the England management were unwilling to risk two bowlers in the same Test. Finn barely participated in fielding practice and did not bowl a single delivery in the nets. While he is not thought to have suffered any injury setback, it seems the England management are keen not to risk his recovery; particularly in a Test that will be played in hot, arduous conditions.Broad, however, bowled several spells at full pace in practice on Tuesday and appears certain to play. While it is possible that England are attempting to steal a march on India and are simply keeping Finn under wraps – Graeme Swann is the latest spinner to claim he has a mystery delivery – that would be unlike them.”The one thing you would say is, if there was a realistic chance of Finn playing, then he probably would have had a long bowl today,” England wicketkeeper Matt Prior said after practise.Finn’s absence is likely to mean a recall for Tim Bresnan. Bresnan bowled increasingly well in the final warm-up game and, with his ability to reverse swing the ball and bat at No.8, England are set to prefer him to the spin option of Monty Panesar.It could mean there is no place for Panesar. Samit Patel’s good form with the bat and his ability to fill the role of a defensive second spinner will see him come into the side at No.6 as England, with a mind to the balance of the side, ensure they bat deep. Panesar’s modest batting continues to count against him.

Ijaz Butt will continue in his role as the PCB’s chairman until Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari decides on whether to extend his tenure

Umar Farooq08-Oct-2011Ijaz Butt will continue in his role as the PCB’s chairman until Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the Patron of the board, decides on whether to extend his tenure. The matter is under consideration at the moment, and till a decision is arrived at, the incumbent will continue in office.Butt, whose constitutional three-year tenure ended today, left for Dubai to attend the ICC’s executive board meeting, putting to an end speculation of an immediate removal. “The matter of the extension of his tenure is under consideration,” the president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar told ESPNcricinfo. “As per the normal practice in our governmental system, anyone whose tenure ends can carry on with [the president’s] consent.”So, while the case of his extension is being considered, he can work.”Butt took over from Nasim Ashraf on October 8, 2008 and, unlike several of his predecessors, completed his tenure – in the previous decade and a half Tauqir Zia, Shahryar Khan and Ashraf all had to step down before their tenure ran out.His tenure, though, has been plagued with controversies, including the armed attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore that resulted in Pakistan being denied the chance to co-host the 2011 World Cup, the spot-fixing scandal (and the problems with the ECB in its aftermath when Butt made controversial accusations against the England team), Zulqarnain Haider’s fleeing to the UK mid-way through a tour after receiving threats from bookies and, most recently, a much-publicised clash with Shahid Afridi.Pakistan’s on-field results in the same period though were commendable, the highlights being the team’s triumph in the World Twenty20 in England in 2009, the semi-final finish in the 2011 World Cup and a successful tour of New Zealand.

Mohsin Khan, Pakistan’s chief selector, responded to criticism over his position and committee, angrily rejected claims that he is a “dummy selector”

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2010Mohsin Khan, Pakistan’s chief selector, responded to criticism over his position and committee, angrily rejecting claims that he is a “dummy selector”.Mohsin came under fire at a press conference at Karachi’s National Stadium, held ostensibly to announce the comeback of Younis Khan into the national fold but one that soon turned into a heated questioning over the influence of board chairman Ijaz Butt on selection matters.Criticism of Mohsin’s tenure has grown steadily almost from the moment he was appointed in March. Since then he has had to face charges of bias and non-consultative selection. More recently, after announcing the squad for the limited-overs and Test series against South Africa, questions were asked about the timing of the announcement – made before the domestic Twenty20 tournament – as well as the increasingly marginalised role of the coach and captain in selection and the greater one of the board head.In a recent hearing at the national assembly’s standing committee of sports, coach Waqar Younis publicly expressed his unhappiness at not being consulted. “It is not in my contract to consult captain and coach,” Mohsin said. “With the experience of international cricket I feel the captain and coach should be involved. But it depends on policy. This time the captain wasn’t announced and the coach was outside. We were told they need a team so we gave a team. After it, we could consult them and we did so.”Those consultations brought the belated selection of Wahab Riaz and Shahzaib Hasan for the limited overs portion of the South Africa series. Shahzaib’s call-up came after a sterling performance in the Twenty20 competition, where he played an integral part in Karachi Dolphins’ run to the final. But Mohsin defended announcing the squad before the tournament, claiming that the focus of the series with South Africa wasn’t on T20Is.”The T20 tournament was not a selection criteria,” Mohsin said. “Shahzaib is a talented guy so we brought him in. We picked him earlier for the Asia Cup and England tour but he disappointed there and we didn’t pick him again. But we feel there is a very good player in him and his T20 performance was great. The basic concentration of this tour is not T20s but Tests and ODIs.
Because the series is in Dubai, where conditions are close to Pakistan and Shahzaib is a good strokeplayer.”There has been growing concern during Mohsin’s tenure of the influence Butt has on the shaping of national squads. One ex-selector told ESPNcricinfo last week that Mohsin only took instructions from the chairman and announced the squad without consulting his own committee. “This is not true at all,” Mohsin replied. “The chairman’s involvement only comes when the team has to be finally approved, because of discipline, fitness and those issues. Only the final approval comes from chairman.”Asked directly whether he was a “dummy selector,” Mohsin replied: “The words you have used, I could also but I don’t get into that language. I am not the chairman of the PCB, I am chairman of the selection committee and that has some rules through which you make a team. The final approval comes from the chairman and this has been happening for a long time.”

The IPL has initiated steps to ensure that all contracted cricketers, except those with international commitments, are made available for the entire season

Ajay S Shankar16-Nov-2009The IPL has initiated steps to ensure that all cricketers who have been contracted by its franchises are available to play for the entire season from next year, except those with international commitments. This effectively means that these contracted players, and their national boards, will have to put the IPL ahead of their domestic commitments.A press release issued on Monday said that in case of a default, the IPL will impose penalties on such players, including termination of player contracts and a ban on future participation, although Lalit Modi, the league’s chairman, told Cricinfo that this would only happen in a worst-case scenario.In what can be seen as a two-pronged deterrent, the IPL, which is owned by BCCI, will also ask the governing council of the Champions League Twenty20, comprising senior officials from India, Australia and South Africa, to take “appropriate action” against participating national boards in that tournament if they don’t issue an IPL clearance for their players citing domestic commitments as a reason. While an IPL ban will affect players directly, any sanction on participating in the Champions League will impact the national board, which gets a share of the money from the organisers apart from an appearance fee for its competing domestic team.However, the IPL said that this move does not cover players with international commitments and those who will play in matches scheduled under the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) during the tournament. These decisions were finalised during the league’s workshop in Bangkok last week to ensure that the IPL franchises get their best players, who have been paid huge amounts by the teams, to be part of the league.

Expansion opposed

The IPL has confirmed its previous decision to expand to 10 teams from 2011, but the move was opposed during the recent Bangkok workshop by one franchise, believed to be Chennai Super Kings. “A discussion for the addition of two new franchises in Season 4 was held with the same being adopted with 7 of the 8 franchises being in favour of increasing the number of teams to 10,” an IPL statement said. The Chennai franchise, owned by N Srinivasan, the BCCI secretary, is apparently concerned that the addition of teams would impact the value of existing franchises, and cut into their share of the central sponsorship pie that includes a billion-dollar TV rights deal. It will also necessitate a fresh auction of all players before the fourth season. But an IPL official said that the addition of more teams would add more money to the pool in terms of franchise purchase fee, which is expected to run into millions of dollars.

“The IPL will work with all the cricket boards to ensure that cricketers contracted with the eight franchises are available for the season,” Modi told Cricinfo. “The IPL 2010 season is in March-April, when a lot of domestic domestic tournaments will still be on. This is a one-off situation. A worst-case scenario could mean penalties on such players (who skip IPL matches citing domestic commitments), including termination of contracts, jeopardising future participation. However, we do not want to walk that path and are hopeful that we can sort this through discussions with the boards.”The next IPL will be held from March 12 to April 25, instead of the usual April-May slot, to avoid a clash with the ICC World Twenty20 that starts soon after. However, this advanced IPL schedule clashes with the Australian domestic season, which ends on March 23, and the South African season that ends on March 28. Players from both these countries are among the most sought-after in the Indian league. The Australian cricketers will then be busy with the New Zealand series that ends on March 31.Apparently, the IPL wants to adopt the model of the Champions League Twenty20, which ensured that the best players from the top domestic teams from the seven participating countries (India, Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand) were available for the multi-nation club tournament. “Given that this was also the founding principle of the Champions League Twenty20, it was agreed that in the event any of the member boards not issuing an NOC to their players for participation in the IPL, on the pretext of domestic engagements, IPL could make a representation to the governing council of the Champions League for taking appropriate action against the members boards’ participation in the League,” the IPL release stated.The BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa are founding partners of the Champions League and its governing council comprises Lalit Modi, its chairman, Niranjan Shah, its vice-chairman, N Srinivasan, the BCCI secretary, James Sutherland, the CA chief executive, Dean Kino, CA’s business and legal affairs head, and Gerald Majola, CSA’s chief executive.The IPL press release added that the measures discussed at the workshop in case of a no-show by the players include “termination of player contracts and barring from future participation in the IPL, of players that have signed contracts, but fail to make themselves available for playing in the IPL.”This will exclude any instances wherein players would have international and FTP commitments and was aimed at ensuring that players make themselves available for the IPL post their FTP commitments, especially, since such players would have already received a player release to play in the IPL from their respective boards.”

Pakistan head coach says he will focus on getting batters used to such conditions

Danyal Rasool24-Jan-2025Pakistan head coach Aaqib Javed has launched an impassioned defence for the recent spin-friendly pitches for Test matches in the country.Ahead of the second Test against West Indies in Multan, Aaqib said that if the decision to prepare such wickets been taken sooner, Pakistan may have been closer to making the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Speaking publicly for the first time since assuming the role of interim coach of the Test side, he said he remained focused on winning Test matches and dismissed concerns about his side’s strategy.”Why is it that if fast bowlers take wickets, [people say] Test cricket is moving forward, and if spinners take wickets, Test cricket’s going backwards?” Aaqib said on the eve of the game. “I don’t understand this. When you go to Australia and England, they prepare pitches how they like. So, if we prepare turning wickets and spinners take wickets, what is the problem?”Of course, we were right to prepare a spin pitch [in the first Test] against West Indies. Their batters are not as proficient against spin when compared to fast bowling. I also want to address concerns about where our Test cricket is going. If we had taken these decisions earlier, then we would have been in the race for the WTC [final]. The rule of Test cricket is to win at home. If you win at home and you win two to three Tests away, you become a strong candidate for the final.”Related

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Aaqib was speaking after his team wrapped up victory in the shortest completed Test in Pakistan – the first Test against West Indies. He said Pakistan were trying to prepare a similar surface for the second Test too, and the decision to pivot to spinning tracks, masterminded largely by him and selector Aleem Dar when they were appointed to the men’s selection committee in October, was partly necessitated by a drop in the skill levels of Pakistan’s current fast bowlers.”We used to be strong on [bowling] reverse swing, but now that skill level has gone down,” he said. “We have told our fast bowlers if you want to take wickets here, their reverse-swing skill will have to go up. In the past, we had Shoaib [Akhtar, Waqar [Younis], Wasim [Akram], and both spin and pace bowlers took wickets.”In the clearest sign that Pakistan’s latest strategy looks like it might be here to stay, Aaqib acknowledged the toll this was taking on his side’s batters because “even they have never played in these conditions”. He indicated broad changes would follow in the off-season with regards to Pakistan’s domestic pitches as well as the training regimen the batters would be put through to prepare them for these wickets in the future.”Even though foreign players are struggling with spin pitches from abroad, so are our players, because they have never played on these pitches,” Aaqid said. “Moving forward, we have told them their training and practice routines will be geared towards this, and we will change domestic pitches too. Our next Test is not until October, so that gives them time to improve their batting.”All three pitches against England last October were declared satisfactory by the ICC•PA Images via Getty Images

Pakistan’s tactics have come under intense discussion, and at times criticism – both from outside the country and within. While they escaped ICC censure for the surfaces they prepared against England last October – all three were declared satisfactory – a decision on the pitch for the first Test against West Indies has not yet been made.Criticism from abroad has focused on whether Pakistan’s tactics amount to pitch doctoring. Concerns have been raised at home over Pakistan’s future ability to develop fast bowlers and quality batting talent, and if this is likely to further erode Pakistan’s competitiveness in away Test series.”We were in South Africa just now, and we came very close to winning a Test,” Aaqib said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t take those last two wickets in Centurion. No spinner played those Tests for us there. You have to select a team depending on the conditions you get.”It’s about winning Tests; that’s what matters. We think we can prepare these pitches in every center of Pakistan, and it should be as difficult to beat Pakistan here as it is to beat Australia or South Africa away. People should know if they’re going to Pakistan, they will have to do something extraordinary to beat Pakistan.”

Debutant pace bowler Chloe Ainsworth made her mark with a double-wicket opening over

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2023Sophie Devine had an instant impact in her new middle-order role for Perth Scorchers as they secured a crushing opening win over Hobart Hurricanes who were bundled out for 88.Devine, batting at No. 4, hit 87 off 44 balls and dominated stands of 69 with Amy Jones then 65 to Amy Edgar after Scorchers had been 52 for 3 in the eight over.Related

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Having previously opened for Scorchers, Devine will likely have the middle-order role – something she has done this year for New Zealand – at least until Nat Sciver-Brunt arrives with Lauren Winfield-Hill opening the innings.Shabnim Ismail was the standout bowler although she went wicketless, with 14 dot balls in her four overs and 14 of the runs she conceded coming off her last over.In reply, Hurricanes were blown away. Their batting line-up was without the ill Elyse Villani and injured Nicola Carey meaning a change of plans and order.After Milly Illingworth had impressed with her pace at North Sydney Oval on the opening night it was the chance of another debutant quick, Chloe Ainsworth, to make a mark with a spectacular opening over.She produced a searing inswinging yorker to remove Lizelle Lee then followed that by trapping stand-in captain Heather Graham lbw. By the fifth over, Hurricanes were 19 for 4 and the game was as good as over.Stella Campbell, who has moved to Scorchers from Sydney Sixers, claimed two wickets in an over while Alana King helped herself to three which all involved Mooney behind the stumps.

Josh Little’s four-wicket ends up as a footnote in the game as Ireland fail to chase 174

Sreshth Shah18-Jul-2022Lockie Ferguson used his assortment of quick deliveries and change-ups to take a four-wicket haul, and in the process left Ireland 31 runs short of New Zealand’s score of 173, handing the visitors a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.In sunny (and warm) Belfast conditions, Ireland dominated for most of the first innings, leaving New Zealand struggling at 100 for 5, but Glenn Phillips’ late flurry with the bat pushed the visitors to 173 for 8 in 20 overs.After Phillips’ unbeaten 52-ball 69, Ferguson took charge of proceedings, dismissing Gareth Delany and Paul Stirling early. He then returned to remove Ireland’s top scorer Curtis Campher for 29 and took the final wicket of the game, Craig Young caught behind.Ireland had some positives, especially left-arm seamer Josh Little’s four-wicket haul that strangled New Zealand for most of the first innings. But they conceded 61 runs in the last five overs and that proved to be the turning point in the end. Phillips was the man who did most of the damage in this period and because of that he was fittingly named Player of the Match.NZ bowlers rally around FergusonEarly wickets were needed for New Zealand’s fairly inexperienced bowling unit to defend 173, and they came starting with a backpedaling catch from captain Mitchell Santner in the third over. Jacob Duffy, playing for the first time since his appearance against Bangladesh in 2021, forced a miscued inside-out shot from Andy Balbirnie to get that opening wicket. After that, Ferguson picked off Stirling and Delany fairly cheaply.The middle-overs squeeze came from Santner, James Neesham and Ish Sodhi, the trio sharing five wickets in their 11 overs, as Ireland stumbled to 96 for 7 by the 13th. The seventh wicket was that of Campher’s, who appeared to be the only Irish batter willing to muster up a challenge, but he was done in by a Ferguson yorker – plumb lbw – and then the tail wagged but not for long enough.As the pitch got older, run-scoring got tougher, and Santner and Neesham in particular made it even more difficult by changing their speeds and not offering deliveries at the arc of the Irish batters. Santner picked up the wickets of Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker with edges to short third man and the wicketkeeper respectively while Neesham’s two strikes in the 17th over sent Ireland from seven down to nine down in the space of four balls.Ferguson then finished the game off, delivering a bouncer to No. 10 Young, who gloved it to the debutant Dane Cleaver.New Zealand struggle with the batWith key senior players missing from the T20I tour for New Zealand, the onus was on Martin Guptill to provide a rollicking start after they were put in to bat. But while he did race to 24 off 11 balls, three of his five boundaries were off the edge, and he eventually fell searching for a big shot to Mark Adair in the third over. His opening partner Finn Allen smacked a cut off Little straight to cover for 1 off 7 balls and the debutant Cleaver fell early too, gloving a short ball from Little through to the keeper.At 38 for 3, New Zealand’s innings needed resuscitation. Phillips tried to do that by pushing his partner Daryl Mitchell for an extra run whenever he could on a Stormont ground where the square boundaries were quite large. But Mitchell struggled with timing, and Campher’s medium-pace had him walking back to the pavillion after he top-edged a short ball for a 10-ball 5. At 54 for 4, Ireland had the upper hand.Phillips’ rescue actWith only New Zealand’s middle and lower-middle order left, Phillips reined in his shot-making to try and last the whole innings. In Neesham, he found someone who could be the risk-taker, and Neesham’s 16-ball 29 in a partnership of 46 helped New Zealand reach triple-digits by the 14th over. However, Neesham fell next ball to left-arm spinner George Dockrell before the slog-overs explosion could really come about.Joined by No. 7 Michael Bracewell – on T20I debut – Phillips was on 28 in 31 balls with six overs to go. But he thumped Little for two fours in the 15th over to get his strike-rate to over 100, and then, off the same bowler, slashed a four behind point in the 19th over to reach his fifty in 45 balls.Phillips saved his best for the final over. After surviving a lucky toe-ended shot that squirted past the keeper for four, Phillips clattered Adair for four and six to take 19 runs off the 20th to not only finish on a tidy 69 but also hand New Zealand the momentum at the break.