Three match test series between England And new zealand It peaked during the second Test, which began on June 17, 2026, at the Oval in London. With the hosts leading 1–0, the Black Caps faced a must-win situation to keep the series alive. What followed over five days of intense red-ball cricket was a masterclass in flexibility, tactical ingenuity and supreme bowling. While the scoreboard shows New Zealand’s historic win, one particular moment from the first day captured the imagination of cricket fans around the world: glen phillips coming out to bat against a fierce jofra archer Sports sunglasses.
Glenn Phillips opens up on his decision to wear sunglasses against Jofra Archer in the second Test
In the first innings, when New Zealand were trying to rebuild a struggling middle order, Phillips played a brilliant, rescue-worked innings of 100 off 135 balls. However, it was not just his beautiful strokeplay that trended on social media, but also his choice of glasses when facing Archer’s 140 km/h-plus deliveries. It is rare to face one of the world’s most dangerous fast bowlers in Test cricket, and Phillips later revealed that it was a matter of pure survival rather than a fashion statement.
“I mean, when you’re looking at the sight screen like this (squinting eyes), 140 km/h is very fast. So I’d rather see the ball at 140 km/h than have a glare in my eyes and not be able to see it. So one keeps my head and the other keeps my head away,” Phillips said at a press conference.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Kiwi star revealed that the glare from the London Site screen was having a serious impact on his vision. Staring into the sun in front of Archer on song was a recipe for disaster. Phillips joked that the alternative was simple: wear glasses to protect your wicket, otherwise you would risk injury. He admitted that his eyes are incredibly sensitive to harsh light, a weakness that has cost him wickets in the past. Recalling similar lighting problems he faced at domestic level in Dunedin, Phillips said that abandoning his pride and donning sunglasses gave him the best chance of seeing the ball clearly and protecting himself against Archer’s pace.
“We have a side screen, similar to Dunedin, so it’s not the first time I’ve batted wearing sunglasses. But my eyes are very sensitive to light. So… I’ve been out a few times not using sunglasses, and it’s like taking my pride down a bit, put them on, look at the ball and really give yourself a good chance,” he added.
Here is the video:
🔴 Jofra Archer doesn’t scare me – Glenn Phillips explains why he wears sunglasses 🤯
Question: Why do you wear sunglasses while batting even in international matches?
Phillips🎙️: “My eyes are very sensitive to bright light. When you’re facing someone like Archer at 140km/h, I’d… pic.twitter.com/7ABD527WUw
– Sam (@cricsam02) 21 June 2026
Also read: Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson return to England squad for third Test against New Zealand
New Zealand beats England with a resounding win to level the series 1-1
The Black Caps converted that individual clarity into a collective victory and defeated England by 253 runs to level the series. Batting first, New Zealand made a strong score of 391 runs with the help of Phillips’ century. devon conway91 more Tom BlundellGritty is 51. jacob bethel The English bowlers took 3 wickets for 26 runs. In reply, England’s first innings collapsed to 291 runs despite fighting back half-centuries. emilio gay (53) and Matthew Fisher (50*). speedster matt henry Tormented the lineup, claiming an extraordinary 5 out of 80.
With a lead of 100 runs, New Zealand strengthened its dominance by scoring 362 runs in the second innings. Nicholas led the team by scoring 121 runs. Rachin Ravindra (76) and darryl mitchell (68) The English attack was foiled. Chasing a mammoth target of 463 runs, England’s batting collapsed dramatically in the fourth innings due to constant pressure. except captain Joe Rootof flexible 77 and harry brookAs soon as 58 runs were scored in quick succession, the rest of the batting order collapsed.
Henry was once again the destroyer-in-chief, taking 6 for 29 in the final innings and finishing the match with 11 for 109. kyle jamison England were bowled out for just 209 runs on the 5th day with 3 wickets for 61 runs, sealing an emphatic, series-levelling win for the visitors.
