Riley Meredith: Punjab Kings pacer hides for cover as Glenn Phillips rockets boundary in NZ vs AUS 5th T20I

Riley Meredith: The Australia fast bowler barely managed to survive a brutal hit by the Kiwi batsman at the Sky Stadium today.

During the fifth T20I of the ongoing Australia’s tour of New Zealand in Wellington, Australia fast bowler Riley Meredith faced a danger of getting hit by a brutal shot from New Zealand batsman Glenn Phillips.

It all happened on the third delivery of the 14th over when Phillips rocketed a 147kmph delivery back past the bowler asking him to sway away instantly. While Meredith’s reflexes put on display a survival act, he would’ve been in significant pain had the ball hit him on its way to the boundary.

In the same over, Phillips hit two more fours before hitting a couple of sixes off Australia spinner Adam Zampa to seal a 143-run chase in the 16th over. Batting at No. 4, the 24-year old player scored a hard-hitting 34* (16) with the help of five fours and two sixes.

ALSO WATCH: Martin Guptill hits Adam Zampa onto the roof of Sky Stadium

Having said that, it was a quickfire 106-run opening partnership between Devon Conway (36) and Martin Guptill (71) which laid the foundation for the hosts clinching the five-match series 3-2.

In what was Guptill’s 17th T20I half-century, he has finished the series as its highest run-scorer with his 218 runs coming at an average and strike rate of 43.60 and 159.12 respectively.

Meredith, on the other hand, was the pick of the Australian bowlers with bowling figures of 4-0-39-2. After Australia captain Aaron Finch (36) won the toss and chose to bat, the visitors scored a below par 142/8 in 20 overs on the back of a 66-run partnership for the second wicket between Australia vice-captain Matthew Wade (44) and Finch.

Riley Meredith hides for cover as Glenn Phillips rockets boundary

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