Watch: Before Nathan Lyon’s 6-65 helped Australia crush New Zealand, Kiwi Glenn Philips did the spinning turn for hosts

While Australia resumed from their overnight score at 13 for two, Phillips entered the attack as the fifth bowler for the Kiwis on day three. Phillips foxed opener Usman Khawaja to have him stumped on 28 before running through the middle-order.

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The right-arm offie dismissed Travis Head (28) and removed Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck the next ball. He dismissed wicketkeeper Alex Carey (3) and bagged his milestone wicket by nicking off first-innings centurion Cameron Green (34) to short-leg. Australia was eventually bowled out for 164 after they set a mammoth 369-run chase for the home side.

Glenn Phillips (5-45) leads the team off the field as Australia are bowled out for 164. The target is 369 at the Basin Reserve 🏏 Follow play LIVE in NZ with @TVNZ+, DUKE, @SENZ_Radio and @TheACCnz. #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/39PdFt7B9B

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 2, 2024

Phillips’s maiden Test five-wicket haul was also his career-best figures in all First-Class cricket across 54 matches. Incidentally, it was also the first instance of a New Zealand spinner bagging a five-wicket haul at home since 2008.

Glenn Phillips has had an incredible innings with a maiden 5 wicket haul, finishing with 5-45 👏@BLACKCAPS v Australia: 1st Test | LIVE on DUKE and TVNZ+ pic.twitter.com/yC6Jip4x2R

— TVNZ+ (@TVNZ) March 2, 2024

Off-spinner Jeetan Patel and New Zealand legend Daniel Vettori were the last two Kiwi spinners two bag a five-wicket haul at home, having achieved the feat against West Indies in December 2008.

In the period since, eight visiting spinners have produced five-wicket hauls in New Zealand. Harbhajan Singh (2009), Danish Kaneria (2009), Sunil Narine (2013), Keshav Maharaj (twice in 2017), Jack Leach (2023) are the spinners to have recorded the feat with recent additions in South Africa’s Neil Brand and Dane Piedt earlier in February before Phillips run through the Australia lineup.

New Zealand was dented early in their record chase. While its seam trio of Mitchell Starc, skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood went wicketless, off-spinner Nathan Lyon picked up two wickets after top-scoring (41) as the nightwatcher in the second innings.

Lyon dismissed opener Tom Latham (8) and followed up with the crucial scalp of Kane Williamson (9) while Travis Head snapped up Will Young for 15. The Black Caps’ chase was then revived by Rachin Ravindra’s half-century (56 batting) and Daryl Mitchell (12 batting), leading the team to stumps at 111 for three, 258 away from the target.

New Zealand’s highest successful Test chase at home – 324 – came against Pakistan in 1994.