IPL exposure give edge to Kane-less Blackcaps 

Express News Service

HYDERABAD:  Kane Williamson had represented the Hyderabad-based IPL franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad, for eight seasons before being released after the 2022 edition. The same season another Kiwi all-rounder Glenn Phillips joined the squad but didn’t get a game after being unavailable for the first few fixtures due to Covid infection.

Retained for the 2023 season, the South Africa born Phillips played five matches this year for the 2016 champions. He might not have featured in all the matches but the experience he gained by training with the squad in Hyderabad will come handy when his team takes on the Netherlands in their second ODI World Cup match here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal on Monday.

“Yeah, obviously, we’ve got guys who have played in various IPL teams. I myself and Kane (Williamson) playing here obviously brings a little bit of an advantage to giving information to the boys. We try to take all the information and put it together and as I said, come on the day and adapt to the conditions as fast as possible,” he told journalists on the eve of the match.

Phillips confirmed that Williamson is not available for Monday’s game as well after he missed the first one against England. “No, we’ve released a bit of an extract, an update that Kane will be still recovering with the hopes of him playing in the third match, but we’ll see how his recovery goes. He’s going really strong at the moment,” he said when questioned on the availability of Williamson.

Head coach Gary Stead also confirmed the development adding that pacers Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee are likely to be fit for the match. “Lockie Ferguson got through training really well so provided he is scrubbed up okay this morning, he will be available for this next game. Tim Southee also got through the training really well. It was great to see him back at the bowling crease and also doing a little bit of fielding as well. He will just get a final x-ray done this morning and we will make a call after that but it is all looking good for selection from now on and into the rest of the tournament,” Stead said.

A thumping nine-wicket victory over the defending champions England in their opener must have boosted the confidence of the team. Apart from their star batters Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, who scored unbeaten 152 and 123 respectively, Phillips also played a part in the win by castling Joe Root and Moeen Ali. The offie was happy with his show with the ball and credited the backing he got from the coaching staff and captain to make it possible.

“Yeah, obviously my bowling has been coming along for quite a while now. And to be able to get the opportunities on the big stage is a moment that I’ve been relishing for a long time. It’s really nice to have the backing of the coaching staff and obviously the captain as well regardless of whether it’s Kane or Tom, to be able to go out there and then look at me and go. Okay, we can use them for this specific role and if that sort of opportunity comes up throwing me the ball and saying hey, you know we’re all a team in this together and we need you to do this role for us at the moment. And to be able to go out there and execute that role is really enjoyable.”

The way they started their campaign and their track record in the ICC events make them formidable opponents. The 26-year-old Phillips, however, felt it will all come down to adjustment a team makes with the conditions in India. “Yeah, obviously, when 90% of the teams are away teams, it almost levels the playing field quite nicely. India have the home advantage and they play incredibly strong cricket at home. But with the other subcontinent teams Pakistan, Sri Lanka Bangladesh, that’s still a semi foreign condition to them so for us to be able to go out there and we try to adapt as quickly as possible on the day and I think that’s what we pride ourselves on understanding that you get one shot at each team and it comes down to who can adjust to the conditions on the day seen as that most of us are all actually very foreign to these conditions, barring probably guys who have had a lot of success in the IPL over the years.”

Speaking on their next opponents, he asserted the Kiwis will not take Netherlands, the only team from an associate nation in the tournament, lightly. “I think they’re a really good team. Obviously, they’ve beaten quite a few good opponents to be able to qualify for the tournament in the first place. So, they’re a team definitely not to be taken lightly. They have a lot of high professional cricketers that play all through county cricket as well. So, they’ve definitely got a good skill set. They know their roles. They bond together well as a team. And I definitely think they’re going to be a tough team to beat in this competition,” he said.

<br /> HYDERABAD:  Kane Williamson had represented the Hyderabad-based IPL franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad, for eight seasons before being released after the 2022 edition. The same season another Kiwi all-rounder Glenn Phillips joined the squad but didn’t get a game after being unavailable for the first few fixtures due to Covid infection.</p> <p>Retained for the 2023 season, the South Africa born Phillips played five matches this year for the 2016 champions. He might not have featured in all the matches but the experience he gained by training with the squad in Hyderabad will come handy when his team takes on the Netherlands in their second ODI World Cup match here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal on Monday.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.84 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.84 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>“Yeah, obviously, we’ve got guys who have played in various IPL teams. I myself and Kane (Williamson) playing here obviously brings a little bit of an advantage to giving information to the boys. We try to take all the information and put it together and as I said, come on the day and adapt to the conditions as fast as possible,” he told journalists on the eve of the match.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });</p> <p>Phillips confirmed that Williamson is not available for Monday’s game as well after he missed the first one against England. “No, we’ve released a bit of an extract, an update that Kane will be still recovering with the hopes of him playing in the third match, but we’ll see how his recovery goes. He’s going really strong at the moment,” he said when questioned on the availability of Williamson.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.84 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.84 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Head coach Gary Stead also confirmed the development adding that pacers Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee are likely to be fit for the match. “Lockie Ferguson got through training really well so provided he is scrubbed up okay this morning, he will be available for this next game. Tim Southee also got through the training really well. It was great to see him back at the bowling crease and also doing a little bit of fielding as well. He will just get a final x-ray done this morning and we will make a call after that but it is all looking good for selection from now on and into the rest of the tournament,” Stead said.</p> <p>A thumping nine-wicket victory over the defending champions England in their opener must have boosted the confidence of the team. Apart from their star batters Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, who scored unbeaten 152 and 123 respectively, Phillips also played a part in the win by castling Joe Root and Moeen Ali. The offie was happy with his show with the ball and credited the backing he got from the coaching staff and captain to make it possible.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.84 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.84 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>“Yeah, obviously my bowling has been coming along for quite a while now. And to be able to get the opportunities on the big stage is a moment that I’ve been relishing for a long time. It’s really nice to have the backing of the coaching staff and obviously the captain as well regardless of whether it’s Kane or Tom, to be able to go out there and then look at me and go. Okay, we can use them for this specific role and if that sort of opportunity comes up throwing me the ball and saying hey, you know we’re all a team in this together and we need you to do this role for us at the moment. And to be able to go out there and execute that role is really enjoyable.”</p> <p>The way they started their campaign and their track record in the ICC events make them formidable opponents. The 26-year-old Phillips, however, felt it will all come down to adjustment a team makes with the conditions in India. “Yeah, obviously, when 90% of the teams are away teams, it almost levels the playing field quite nicely. India have the home advantage and they play incredibly strong cricket at home. But with the other subcontinent teams Pakistan, Sri Lanka Bangladesh, that’s still a semi foreign condition to them so for us to be able to go out there and we try to adapt as quickly as possible on the day and I think that’s what we pride ourselves on understanding that you get one shot at each team and it comes down to who can adjust to the conditions on the day seen as that most of us are all actually very foreign to these conditions, barring probably guys who have had a lot of success in the IPL over the years.”</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.84 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.84 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Speaking on their next opponents, he asserted the Kiwis will not take Netherlands, the only team from an associate nation in the tournament, lightly. “I think they’re a really good team. Obviously, they’ve beaten quite a few good opponents to be able to qualify for the tournament in the first place. So, they’re a team definitely not to be taken lightly. They have a lot of high professional cricketers that play all through county cricket as well. So, they’ve definitely got a good skill set. They know their roles. They bond together well as a team. And I definitely think they’re going to be a tough team to beat in this competition,” he said.<br />