made 21 in the first innings and came to the wicket in the second when Australia were 5/65 chasing 127 runs to win. He scored 29 in a partnership of 51 runs with Allan Border, taking Australia in sight of victory. A score of 2 in the third Test was followed by scores of 36 and 39 not out in the fourth - the latter innings helping secure a draw - and in the fifth Test, an innings of 59 brought Australia to within 80 minutes of a draw before he was dismissed in controversial circumstances. According to one writer, Phillips, Border and Ritchie were the only Australian batsmen to perform well. "Phillips made few mistakes behind the stumps for a wicketkeeper derided as "a batsman with gloves". And his thrilling square cut was reminiscent of the great Ted Dexter at the height of his power." Final International Summer Phillips was kept on as Australia's wicketkeeper for the following summer against New Zealand and India. At the beginning of the season, Mike Coward wrote that "there cannot be any question about Wayne Phillips being named wicketkeeper. After all, arguably, he is the second-best batsman in the Australian team." In an early Shield game against WA, he dropped several catches and made a number of fumbles. In the first test he scored 34 and 2. In the second test Phillips was back as opener as well as keeper in the wake of Kepler Wessels leaving the team. He scored 31 in the first innings (as opener) and 63 in the second, laying the platform for a successful chase. However his form behind the stumps against the spinners was increasingly poor, and caused a drop in his confidence which in turn affected his batting. In the third test against New Zealand (again opening) he scored 37 and 10. He opened in the first test against India scoring 11. In the second test against India he missed two easy stumpings, causing Alan Border to come to his defence: "I feel sorry for Wayne", he said. "He's had a couple of bad tracks to keep on. He feels he is letting down the side. But I hope we stick with him. I don't believe there is a 'keeper in the country capable of doing any better." He opened in the first innings scoring 7, then was put down the order for the second, making