Phillips cleared to tour

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 72

Phillips cleared to tour

NZPA-AAP Adelaide South Australia’s deposed test wicket-keeper Wayne Phillips, will take his place in the touring party leaving for New Zealand tomorrow. Phillips, aged 28, passed a rigorous fitness test at the Adelaide Oval yesterday morning to confirm his place in the Australian squad — but only as a batsman. The one-time fill-in ’keeper who meteorically rose to become Australia’s first-string gloveman — as much to his surprise as anyone’s — fractured the ring finger in his right hand during a World Series Cup match in Sydney two weeks ago. His “turf”, the area behind the stumps, was taken over by Western Australia’s Tim Zoehrer, who made his presence felt with tidy, enthusiastic displays in his two outings in the green and gold. The national selectors have about-turned on their policy of not playing a specialist wicketkeeper in favour of a wicket-keeper batsman, such as like Phillips so that Zoehrer is now the first-choice ’keeper for the three-test series in New Zealand. Phillips yesterday went through a testing half hour of batting and fielding — without gloves — under the watchful eye of a former South Australian team manager, Howard Mutton, who represented the Australian Cricket Board. Phillips emerged from an examination by the S.A.C.A. doctor of his finger and a consultation with the Australian chairman of selectors, Lawrie Sawle, with a wide grin indicating he had passed his vital test.