Elements in his performance suggested he has a "big-match" temperament.
The first was how he dealt with the pressure of entering to face the 10th delivery of the match.
Midway through the eighth over he had 11 runs from 17 balls. The temptation to lash out must have fizzed within. Instead, after a couple of false shots, Phillips seized his moment.
Ashley Nurse's off spin came into his arc. He swung a controlled slog sweep into a frenzy of one-handed catchers cannibalising each other in pursuit of $50,000.
Phillips picks line and length early before engaging ballistic hand speed. A Guy Fawkes type display seemed imminent at the next level, given his T20 career record of one century, five half-centuries and a strike rate of 136 from 23 matches leading in.
"I couldn't hit a boundary early, and my ability to find one needs to improve," Phillips said.
"That's what I'll work on in the nets to keep my strike rate at 100 and, if the right ball comes along, boost it with that."
One of Phillips' few glitches was attempting a premeditated scoop off Nurse in the 12th over. He was almost adjudged lbw French-cricket style. A leg bye got him off strike to repent.
Phillips' wicketkeeping was as compelling as his batting.
With limb movement normally reserved for Hanna-Barbera cartoon strips, he shot after a miscued Chris Gayle pull from T20 debutant Seth Rance. His dive and reach marked the instinct of an attuned athlete.
"I didn't know where it went. I started running back hoping the two guys beside me wouldn't run into me.
"I put out the mitts and hoped it stuck."
Phillips said his next career ambition is to advance into the ODI format.
