Phillips' century, Duffy's four-for topple India
India could manage only 172 for 9 in their chase of 260
Glenn Phillips' 46-ball century torched New Zealand's innings © Getty Images
New Zealand 259 for 7 (Phillips 107, Bracewell 65, Mayank 3-48) beat India 172 for 9 (Tilak 35, Duffy 4-23, Santner 2-24, Fisher 2-40) by 87 runs
New Zealand had to break all-time records to be a challenge for India. Glenn Phillips' century and Michael Bracewell with a balls-per-boundary ratio of just over two carried the team to the highest T20 score on these shores, including domestic matches. Faced with a target of 260, India felt scoreboard pressure for the first time and the options they took to dispel it didn't work.
A changed Phillips
For all the highlight reels he produces, Phillips uses orthodox methods to start his innings. He takes it slow, sets himself up and once he's around 30 or so, he explodes. But as a response to batting first at Eden Park, a ground famously chase-friendly, he changed his game.
The second ball he faced was top of off stump but he short-arm pulled it in the air over midwicket. With the powerplay about to end, he moved across his crease to drag a length ball from Prince Yadav into the leg side for four. By that time he was already 26 off 14. He took a while to get to fifty - 31 balls - but his next 10 produced 40 runs.
Nitish Kumar Reddy missed his yorkers. Phillips hit four sixes in a row to produce a 32-run over. Another six - which he knew would go - handed him his century. He was celebrating with the ball still in the air, a long way from hitting the sightscreen.
Bracwell impact
Tim Seifert is New Zealand's surprise weapon. He plays 360 degrees but he's had a poor series. So India have been faced with orthodox batters hitting orthodox areas in the field and they've used it to their advantage. Michael Bracewell is not orthodox. He doesn't have a great rate of success but when he comes off, he comes off big.
Alagappan Muthu is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo
