New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips claimed that his daring switch-hitting display in a recent Super Smash game was a tactical move he had developed over the years to fight left-arm spin rather than a gimmick.
While off-spinner Dean Foxcroft was halfway through his run-up in last week’s game against Central Districts, Otago right-hander Phillips changed stance and smacked the bowler for a four with what appeared to be a full-blooded cover drive from a left-handed batter.
In the last over of the Otago innings, Phillips adopted a left-hander’s stance before left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox had started his run-up and smashed the bowler for a six, further shocking the crowd.
Phillips, who scored an undefeated 90 off 48 balls in the match, remarked, “I do enjoy my left-handed batting training,” before departing for New Zealand’s white-ball tour of India on Tuesday.
“Obviously, I do it for multiple reasons. One, just to keep both hands and both sides of the brain working, but (also) for the opportunity to take down left-arm spin.”
Switch-hitting was invented by Kevin Pieterson of England, and although Glenn Maxwell and David Warner of Australia had it in their toolbox, they primarily utilized it to explore spaces behind or square of the wicket.
“I’ve always been able to bat left-handed. It’s something I’ve done since I was young. I was going to switch when I was about 10-years-old and actually bat left-handed full time, but decided to stick with the right hand as it was,” Phillips said.
Particularly in the 20-overs format, teams frequently use a left-arm orthodox spinner to pull the ball away from a right-handed batter.
Phillips claimed that in order to strengthen his left-handed batting, he even used a reversed stance when facing pacers in the nets.
“It’s been a few years since it’s really had a chance to come out … but for it to actually pay off, and for years of work to come out on the field was really (pleasing),” he added.
