IRE vs NZ 3rd T20I Review: Glenn Phillips shines yet again as New Zealand record clean sweep

STORMONT – Glenn Phillips guided New Zealand to a six-wicket win over Ireland in the third T20I, hitting an unbeaten 56 off 44 balls in a successful chase of 175.

Ireland bounced back from a disappointing batting performance in the second T20I – when they were bowled out for 91 – and had New Zealand on 65-3 at one stage, but an 82-run stand between Phillips and Daryl Mitchell saw the Black Caps effectively navigate a tricky period to secure a 3-0 series victory.

Ireland batted first and Paul Stirling was immediately at his blistering best, striking a six with his second ball of the innings as he moved to 19 off 10. However, at the other end Andrew Balbirnie perished to Blair Tickner for a 16-ball 10.

But Stirling and Lorcan Tucker kept moving at a healthy rate, putting on 46 off 31 balls for the second wicket. The latter looked in good touch when taking on the left-arm spin of Mitchell Santner, showcasing his array of sweeps and some quick feet down the ground to record three consecutive boundaries.

Stirling was undone by the spin of Ish Sodhi – a bit of extra bounce caught the right-hander’s glove for a catch behind – to depart for 40 and Tucker fell for 28 off 19 in the following over to leave Ireland 81-3 in the 11th over.

New Zealand slowed the scoring as Ireland tumbled to 116-6 in the 17th over, but then came a blistering stand between Mark Adair and Curtis Campher. The pair put on 58 off just 23 deliveries, with the former smashing an astonishing four sixes and two fours in his 15-ball 37.

In response, Finn Allen raced out of the blocks for New Zealand, depositing Craig Young for 14 runs in the space of three balls. But Young had the perfect response, ending his first over with a pinpoint yorker to send Allen on his way.

Martin Guptill kept the aggression going, moving to 21 off 12, but Josh Little had Dane Cleaver pull the ball straight to Campher at deep square leg for 5 to leave New Zealand 41-2 in the fifth over.

George Dockrell had two catches dropped off two consecutive balls in his first over – Phillips was the lucky man – but it was a case of third time lucky when Guptill top-edged a sweep off the left-armer to Little at short fine-leg.

Ireland were in a strong position but Phillips and Mitchell began the rebuild, rotating the strike before 20 runs off Campher in the 15th over softened the equation.

Little dismissed Mitchell for 48 in the 17th over, taking a return catch after the right-hander top-edged a pull, but Jimmy Neesham arrived to play a blistering cameo of 23* off six to end the match and series.

Ireland v New Zealand, 3rd T20I, Stormont, 22 July 2022

Ireland 174-6 (20 overs; P Stirling 40, M Adair 37*; I Sodhi 2-27)
New Zealand 180-4 (19 overs; G Phillips 56*, D Mitchell 48; J Little 2-33)

New Zealand won by six wickets