by Abhai Sawkar The Otago Volts have benefited from a profitable 2019-20 domestic season: placing third in the Plunket Shield and finishing as runners-up in both the Ford Trophy and the Dream11 T20 Super Smash. Welcoming young players and first-timers to the setup has been instrumental to further amplifying their strength as a unit. One of the eager youngsters is 21-year-old batsman Dale Phillips. You may recognize Phillips from his stints with the New Zealand Under-19 from 2016 to 2018. During the 2018 Under-19 World Cup at home, Phillips impressed with his consistency and confidence, having scored 174 runs in 4 innings. New Zealand made it to the quarter-finals, eventually placing eighth, but the time spent overall was memorable in more ways than one. As a relatively more seasoned figure at U-19 level at the time, Phillips highly values the experience, which was an important stepping stone to his maturity as a cricketer. “Yes, it was a great experience to be able to play in the 2018 [Under-19] World Cup at home as I was able to play in front of family and friends on a ‘bigger stage’ than usual. The biggest things I learned from that tournament were the importance of pre-match preparation in terms of eating right, planning ahead for each game, plus the importance of interacting with the team as it is the relationships you make outside that carry through in the games.” Born in South Africa, Phillips moved to New Zealand with his family not long after. While he’s lived much of his life in New Zealand, two of his favorite cricketers are South African. Phillips enjoyed the brand of cricket from one of South Africa’s, and the world’s, greatest all-rounders and how he shone in all forms of the game. He also admires one of the modern greats, known for his creativity and game-changing ability. His older brother Glenn, who debuted in Tests for the Black Caps this year, has been a key motivational figure. Glenn Phillips was a last-minute addition to the team during a tough tour of Australia, and he immediately rose to the occasion by scoring a well-compiled half-century in his very first Test innings. Dale greatly values and appreciates how his brother’s unconditional support and readiness to help has been vital to improving his cricket, and he also has other, much more well known role models that he looks to for inspiration. “Growing up, my main cricketing inspiration was Jacques Kallis. I always admired the way he played the game and the fact that he was one of the best all-rounders of all time. Later on, I started looking up to AB de Villiers as my cricketing role model because of how he went about things both on and off the field. I’ve read his book more than once. But at the same time my brother Glenn is a big inspiration to me mainly because no matter his success, he always makes time to check on me and help me advance my game wherever he can.” Phillips has played the majority of his cricket in Auckland, just like his brother. His strong returns at school level for Sacred Heart College and his promising start caught the attention of his future club team, Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club. While he enjoyed playing for his school, Phillips’ focus gradually shifted to club level, in order to advance his case. At age 17, he had already played quite frequently in the Auckland Premier League. Having made significant headway in a relatively short space of time, Phillips earned his first major big break: the national selectors fast-tracked him into the New Zealand Under-19 side in 2016. “The main part of the cricket timeline started in high school. I was playing for the school 1st XI in just my second year at Sacred Heart College. At the end of that school year, during the holidays while playing for Howick Pakuranga CC, I was selected for the first time to play in the senior premier men’s team when I was 15. I did well on debut and from then on I became a regular in the premier team. I played one more year at Sacred Heart, and then I decided I wanted to play only club cricket because it was at a higher standard. From there, I played in a U17 district tournament for Auckland and was picked in the tournament team. The following year I was selected for Auckland to play in the U19 district tournament when I was 17. I played the first two games and had a great start before getting injured. Despite this I was selected for the U19 World Cup in Bangladesh, and that was my first big tournament. From there I played 3 more district tournaments for Auckland, and because I was lucky enough to be born after September, I was able to play a second [U19] World Cup, this time at home.” During his first U19 World Cup in Bangladesh, Phillips played a couple of handy knocks in the middle order, in what ended up being a tough tournament for the team. In his second Cup, he played a similar role, with his best score of 74 coming in a playoff game against South Africa. “I think working with Paul Wiseman and Bob Carter during both World Cups has had a huge effect on the player I am now and leading into this season they probably had the biggest impact on me. I think the 2018 World Cup was different because I knew what to expect a bit more and was able to act as more of a leader within the team. I also learned the importance of team first, which I have taken with me in whichever team I play for.” While he has done reliably well at U19 level, the period after the 2018 tournament wasn’t that favorable. He didn’t immediately get a domestic contract for Auckland and for a time it might’ve felt discouraging, and while this may have turned another player off from pursuing their dream, it only served to make Dale’s robust self-belief and enterprising determination stronger than ever. In July 2019, the Otago Volts announced their contract list, and Phillips’ efforts were rewarded with his first professional deal. Otago Cricket’s coach, Rob Walter, has rated him highly as a future Black Cap in the making, and is actively backing his belief by placing heavy emphasis on nurturing some of the brightest, up-and-coming, youthful talents. “The journey since playing U19 cricket has been a bit of a roller coaster. There was a period when I felt like I flatlined and couldn’t progress any further in my game, but I kept training hard with my brother and although I felt stuck in Auckland, I was able to get the opportunity to further my game in Otago. It was an awesome feeling when I first found out that I got a contract with Otago cricket. It had been something I was working hard towards for a long time and to see the hard work starting to pay off was great.” For starters, Phillips had a taste of all formats for Otago. However, he was batting further down the order on most occasions. On his Plunket Shield debut, he came at one down, but it was a challenge. While this season didn’t go as planned, including being cut short by the COVID-19 epidemic, Phillips is thankful for the guidance from the coaches and he’s determined to adapt to the rigor and demands. “Being my first professional season, it was amazing to get a chance in all three formats. Even though the season didn’t quite go so well, I was still able to learn a lot and gain experience. The coaches were really good in helping me comb through my game and keep continually improving and developing.” Despite playing as a batsman, Phillips is more than happy to add to his skills to further enhance his repertoire. He is occasionally called on to bowl some seam-ups, and he’s aware that his bowling needs improvement. Knowledge comes with experience, and one of his long-term goals is to become an impactful all-rounder. With that foundation now gradually falling into place, his primary aim of becoming a reliable team player is on its way to fruition. When it comes to batting, Phillips is unafraid to signal his intentions, and he has chipped in a few times as a finisher. “My main approach as a batsman is to start each game again, give myself a chance, see-ball-hit-ball, and let my instincts take over. I like to play with high intent and always do what the team requires over personal goals. I did get a couple of chances to bowl this season, and that didn’t go so well but it was all learning for me. I will continue to try to develop my bowling to be a genuine all-rounder and I think with the help of the coaches I’m working with, it will continue to improve.” Dale has often been likened to his brother, but he states that there are both differences and commonalities. Both are live wires on the field and never hesitate to play their shots, but Dale insists he’s the more solid batsman, compared to the more attacking batsman that is Glenn. Family rivalry aside, he happily appreciates the comparison. “Well, I think we are both full of energy, which may be able to be seen when we field, but in a cricket sense we are both naturally aggressive players, although I tend to be a bit more reserved and like to work into my innings where I think at times he’s all ‘go-for-it’. I like to think I’m different but it’s a common theme for people to give us a lot of likeness.” With his rookie season having come to a close, it’s time for Phillips to set a new agenda. His top priority is to contribute for the team to the best of his ability, and take the initiative when future opportunities are presented. The off-season period will be a crucial time to put in the necessary hard yards and beyond. “My plans for next season as it stands would be to work and train hard over winter while getting some studies completed, and head into the 2020-21 season raring to go and hopefully able to improve on the start I’ve made for Otago.” It’s been a pretty eventful early stage of Phillips’ career - from establishing himself as a reliable performer in U19 cricket to actively searching for chances to play first-class cricket. His dynamic approach to push for higher honors has yielded rewards, but there lie challenges ahead on the road to seeking higher honors. With his unrelenting hunger and self-motivation for more and more success, he is well on course to take on what’s in store. As the renowned Albert Einstein said, “in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Optimism and confidence are the keys to achievement, and Phillips has exhibited both qualities well.
1 Comment
4/5/2023 03:05:28 am
I've not read about a better interview than this one. Dale Phillips seems like the guy who knows his stuff.
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September 2020
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