Phillips leads New Zealand to T20 series sweep of Ireland
Cricket
Glenn Phillips's unbeaten fifty led New Zealand to a 3-0 Twenty20 series whitewash of Ireland.
BELFAST (AFP) - Glenn Phillips s unbeaten fifty led New Zealand to a 3-0 Twenty20 series whitewash of Ireland with a six-wicket win at the Stormont ground in Belfast on Friday.
Daryl Mitchell weighed in with a useful 32-ball 48 before James Neesham struck 23 off just six deliveries. Phillips was 56 not out as New Zealand chased down a target of 175 with an over to spare.
When Mitchell was caught and bowled by Josh Little, the Blackcaps were faltering at 147-4 with little more than three overs remaining.
But Phillips, who also made a match-winning fifty in the series opener, proved a thorn in Ireland s side again before the big-hitting Neesham made sure of victory.
Ireland s 174-6 featured veteran opener Paul Stirling s 40, with the hosts total bolstered by Mark Adair s smashed 37 off 15 balls and Curtis Campher s 19 off eight.
Adair and Campher s unbeaten stand of 58 from 23 deliveries gave Ireland, who have suffered agonising white-ball defeats by both India and New Zealand this season, hope of victory.
But instead they suffered yet another loss to New Zealand, following a 3-0 reverse in the preceding one-day international series.
Brief scores
Ireland 174-6, 20 overs (P Stirling 40; I Sodhi 2-27, B Tickner 2-35) v New Zealand 180-4, 19 overs (G Phillips 56 no, D Mitchell 48; J Little 2-33)
Result: New Zealand won by six wickets
Series: New Zealand win three-match series 3-0
