What's new

[VIDEO/PICTURES] How underrated is Neil Wagner?

N

Nikhil_cric

T20I Star
Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Runs
30,913
Just taken a fifer and has comfortably outbowled both Boult and Southee. He's a a very good test bowler but never seems to get his due. How underrated is he?
 
Great question.

The change in 2016 in Wagner is astonishing. He has given up on swing and seam: he has noticed that 90% of modern Test batsmen are FTBs and he is simply bowling short and at the body in aggressive spells. And modern batsmen are so poor defensively that they are getting out in droves.
 
Yeah, definitely an improved bowler. Boult seems to have regressed a lot too.
 
Yeah he is very underrated I was watching him the other day I was kind of very impressed pace was there consistently good line he is best bowler from newzealand for me right now
 
Junaids said:
Great question.

The change in 2016 in Wagner is astonishing. He has given up on swing and seam: he has noticed that 90% of modern Test batsmen are FTBs and he is simply bowling short and at the body in aggressive spells. And modern batsmen are so poor defensively that they are getting out in droves.
Click to expand...

Which current test batsmen are in the 10% ''not FTB'' group?
 
rahanefan said:
Which current test batsmen are in the 10% ''not FTB'' group?
Click to expand...

Cook, Root, Rahane, De Villiers, Watling

I genuinely can't think of anyone else. You will note that I did not list Williamson or Smith or Warner.
 
Junaids said:
Cook, Root, Rahane, De Villiers, Watling

I genuinely can't think of anyone else. You will note that I did not list Williamson or Smith or Warner.
Click to expand...

Yawwwwwwwwwwn smith isn't an FTB. Neither is kane look at his team mates dancing and hoping around yet he's still there
 
Very very good bowler... Can bounce out high quality batsmen on dead pitches, can reverse, n can swing as well.. Way better than any bowler at the moment barring Starc
 
He is sharp and gets good bounce .

Do , not think he is underrated. NZ has pretty good fast bowlers coming up , thus it is tough to give everyone a game.
 
Junaids said:
Cook, Root, Rahane, De Villiers, Watling

I genuinely can't think of anyone else. You will note that I did not list Williamson or Smith or Warner.
Click to expand...

kane isn't FTB by any means and add Amla.
 
How good is Neil Wagner?

As the third seamer in the attack, he now boasts an average better than his two far more feared partners, Boult and Southee. Got the biggest wicket of the day today when he snared Kohli.

He isn't particularly tall or muscular, and operates mostly around the 135 kph mark...but he has become perhaps the best exponent of the back of a length delivery. His ability to hustle batsman, even on dead tracks, is remarkable given that he doesn't have height or express pace.

How do people on this forum rate him?
 
Didnn't rate him that much before, all he was doing was bowling short and the brainless Australians kept hooking him. But now he's bowling goof, length deliveries as well, as well as some good full balls which we saw against South Africa.

Doing very well these days!
 
Junaids said:
Cook, Root, Rahane, De Villiers, Watling

I genuinely can't think of anyone else. You will note that I did not list Williamson or Smith or Warner.
Click to expand...
Er, did you see Kane take on an on fire Steyn, Philander and Rabada?
 
He will be 32-33 soon, doesn't play LOI cricket, had a poor start to his Test career and NZ hardly plays Tests anyway.

It is not even a question why he slips under the radar and doesn't get any hype.
 
Neil Wagner would have been very handy in the recent ODI series in India. I don't know why they don't select some bowlers in LOIs.
It was a closely contested series and Wagner with his pace, bounce and aggression would have been a far better option than Milne.
 
In tests he's underrated. He's bowled well in the last couple of years.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
NZ made a huge mistake not playing him in Australia. They could've sneaked a drawn series in Adelaide.
 
sam_ahm said:
Neil Wagner would have been very handy in the recent ODI series in India. I don't know why they don't select some bowlers in LOIs.
It was a closely contested series and Wagner with his pace, bounce and aggression would have been a far better option than Milne.
Click to expand...

I think the same too, he has a good yorker, good bouncer, and hardly ever bowls loose balls. Don't really understand why they don't play him in ODIs.
 
He's more effective than Southee in Tests.

Boult, Wagner + Milne/Ferguson/Woods (someone with pace) should be their seam attack.
Santner + Anderson/Neesham as allrounders.
 
I always thought he was underrated along with M mcclenaghan.They both can trouble any SC batsmen due to their effective bouncers.
 
Neil Wagner | Under the radar champion

I had never bothered to check record of Wagner until this evening and I am quite surprised that the guy has a phenomenal record.

Close to 650 first class wickets at an average of 27, 150+ test wickets at an average of 28, the dude seems to have some serious consistency over the last few years. But no one really talks about him. Thoughts?
 
I heard he bowled 15 overs on the trot today, that's incredible for UAE conditions.
 
The workhorse. The brute of the attack but is clearly a thinking bowler. He had a top notch domestic record and it was only a matter of time that he came good on the international stage.
 
One of the best old ball bowlers in the business - a truly world class bowler and an unsung hero of the side. If only Wahab (very similar style of bowler) could utilise half of his cricketing senses what a devastating bowler he could have been with that extra 10 - 15km in pace.
 
Not at all underrated. He fulfills the role of work horse/enforcer very well. An asset to any team.
 
He's a better Peter Siddle. Hope he doesn't go vegetarian.
 
Reason behind neil Wagner's success

He doesn't swing the ball much, he is medium fast at best and he is not even tall. Despite that his test statistics are better than starc and boult, two vastly more gifted left armors playing currently. What's the secret behind his success?
 
Matches for left-arm pace bowlers to reach 200 test wickets:

46 Neil Wagner
49 Mitchell Johnson
50 Mitchell Starc
51 Wasim Akram
52 Trent Boult
 
Makes me sad that he won't be around for too long.. No one will replace him. NZ will miss him dearly.
 
even lockie is 28 years old. but hope fully he will improve the bowling for the next 5 years.

wagner bowls well in all conditions
 
He has good intensity. Also, he doesn't play LOI so he can focus purely on Test.

Had he played LOI, I think he wouldn't have been this successful.
 
sweep_shot said:
He has good intensity. Also, he doesn't play LOI so he can focus purely on Test.

Had he played LOI, I think he wouldn't have been this successful.
Click to expand...

Good point. Also not in T20 leagues. Guys like Bumrah plays all 3 formats and also the premier bowler for his league team.
 
https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...s/news-story/2c1c49e7b7abec1b95d1dcd422fb5022

Glenn McGrath’s incredible prediction from 2003 resurfaces
While travelling South Africa in 2003, former Australian pace bowler Glenn McGrath made a bold prediction about a local teenager which turned out be completely true.
During the 2003 Cricket World Cup, McGrath and a few teammates — including Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee — were tasked with coaching a group of teenage pace bowlers in Pretoria.

McGrath wrote about the experience in his book World Cup Diary, and identified one 17-year-old as “someone to look out for in the future”.

“There are some promising fast bowlers among them; they all have good action and bowl with some pace,” McGrath wrote.

“The one standout is a left armer, whose hero is Allan Donald — you can tell by the way he follows through, a mirror image of AD.

“His name is Neil Wagenaar and he’ll be someone to look out for it the future.”

Despite the incorrect spelling, McGrath was indeed referring to current Black Caps player Neil Wagner, who is currently ranked the world’s second best Test bowler behind Australia’s Pat Cummins.

Wagner migrated to New Zealand in 2008 to pursue a career in cricket, and made his Test debut four years later. Since then, the firey left-armer has taken 204 Test wickets at a stellar average of 26.63.

He is currently the seventh highest wicket-taker for New Zealand in Test history, quickly closing in on Chris Cairns and Chris Martin.

The 33-year-old was also New Zealand’s highest wicket-taker during the recent Trans Tasman series, where he claimed 17 scalps at 22.76. He has dismissed Steve Smith — the best since Bradman — five times in four Test matches.

Wagner had no idea McGrath had made those comments about his bowling in 2003, and thought it was “amazing” the cricket great even remembered him

Wagner featured in the recent SCG New Year’s Pink Test, where he handed McGrath a signed cap in support of breast cancer research.

New Zealand face cricket giants India in a two-Test series later this month, starting on Friday, 21st February in Wellington.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dedication!

Neil Wagner ran in today with a fractured toe, claiming 2-50 against Pakistan!

EqT1Xv5UYAAwyBu.jpgEqT1Xv4UUAI0lyi.jpg
 
jnaveen1980 said:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...s/news-story/2c1c49e7b7abec1b95d1dcd422fb5022

Glenn McGrath’s incredible prediction from 2003 resurfaces
While travelling South Africa in 2003, former Australian pace bowler Glenn McGrath made a bold prediction about a local teenager which turned out be completely true.
During the 2003 Cricket World Cup, McGrath and a few teammates — including Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee — were tasked with coaching a group of teenage pace bowlers in Pretoria.

McGrath wrote about the experience in his book World Cup Diary, and identified one 17-year-old as “someone to look out for in the future”.

“There are some promising fast bowlers among them; they all have good action and bowl with some pace,” McGrath wrote.

“The one standout is a left armer, whose hero is Allan Donald — you can tell by the way he follows through, a mirror image of AD.

“His name is Neil Wagenaar and he’ll be someone to look out for it the future.”

Despite the incorrect spelling, McGrath was indeed referring to current Black Caps player Neil Wagner, who is currently ranked the world’s second best Test bowler behind Australia’s Pat Cummins.

Wagner migrated to New Zealand in 2008 to pursue a career in cricket, and made his Test debut four years later. Since then, the firey left-armer has taken 204 Test wickets at a stellar average of 26.63.

He is currently the seventh highest wicket-taker for New Zealand in Test history, quickly closing in on Chris Cairns and Chris Martin.

The 33-year-old was also New Zealand’s highest wicket-taker during the recent Trans Tasman series, where he claimed 17 scalps at 22.76. He has dismissed Steve Smith — the best since Bradman — five times in four Test matches.

Wagner had no idea McGrath had made those comments about his bowling in 2003, and thought it was “amazing” the cricket great even remembered him

Wagner featured in the recent SCG New Year’s Pink Test, where he handed McGrath a signed cap in support of breast cancer research.

New Zealand face cricket giants India in a two-Test series later this month, starting on Friday, 21st February in Wellington.
Click to expand...

Brilliant. McGrath is a genius
 
At the end of his first day bowling with two fractured toes at Bay Oval, Neil Wagner said he didn’t want to have “Fomo” – the fear or feeling of missing out – and that he’d play his part as long as he physically could.

But after another two days, where he battled through the pain with the help of a series of injections, sending down 49 overs and taking four Pakistan wickets to help the Black Caps secure a crucial win, he accepted he wouldn’t be carrying on to Christchurch and would have to watch the second test from his couch.

For four days, he watched proceedings at Hagley Oval from his home in Papamoa, then, once the final wicket was taken on Wednesday afternoon and the Black Caps went to the top of the world rankings for the first time, he received a special phone call.

“I thought I was going to sit down with my wife and have a quiet beer and celebrate the boys' success,” Wagner said.

“But it was quite nice that my phone rang, and they let me in on a bit of the celebrations down there, which was a very special moment and very nice of them.

“It just shows you what goes on in the team and how everyone cares about everyone and wants to make everybody part of the bigger picture.

“It was a very special moment and it was a really nice touch.”

Wagner has a moon boot on his right foot and is facing an extended stretch on the sideline, though he hopes he will be able to feature for Northern Districts when the Plunket Shield resumes in March and April.

Looking back at his efforts in Mount Maunganui, which Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan described as “mad” and Black Caps captain Kane Williamson said were “very, very special,” Wagner said it was about doing what he could for his team-mates.

“I pride myself on trying to deliver my job and contribute to the team as much as I can, in whatever sort of circumstances, and I felt the worst thing possible at that stage was that I was going to sit on the side and the work for the other guys was going to get harder and harder.

“With the scenario of us having to get a test win, I knew that I had to try and do a job, in some sort of way, whether it was taking wickets or just holding up an end, and to bowl for the other guys and to hope they got a bit of rest and to make them as effective as I could.

Black Cap Neil Wagner receives a pat on the back from Tom Latham before taking one of his many injury-enforced breaks in the first test against Pakistan.

“It's not like I want to go out there and just put my body on the line for no reason. It's bigger than that. It's for test matches, it’s for that black cap, and for your mates and the people around you.

“It was satisfying that we ended up getting the result and everybody played their part and everybody put the hand up and just to have been able to find a way of contributing was pretty pleasing.”

The win in Mount Maunganui was secured with less than five overs remaining on the fifth day and it meant the Black Caps went to Christchurch knowing a win or a draw would secure them the No 1 world ranking for the first time and that a win would keep them alive in the race to play in the inaugural World Test Championship final in England in June.

Wagner said it was “tough, in a lot of ways” watching from afar as the team went about their business at Hagley Oval, with fellow seamer Kyle Jamieson taking 11 wickets and Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, and Daryl Mitchell all scoring hundreds as they got the job done with a day to spare.

“It was a bittersweet sort of feeling, obviously wanting to be there, but it is an uncontrollable factor that you obviously got two broken toes and you can't really do much about it, it just is what it is, and it was really satisfying to sit here and see how everyone went about their work.

“As hard as it was, it was bloody pleasing to sit here with a massive smile on my face and know what the boys had achieved – it was a very proud moment as a current player and as a New Zealand supporter and as a fan, from that side, it was bloody special.”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/crick...neil-wagner-savours-series-win-from-his-couch
 
What a sensational 2nd inning comeback it was from Neil Wagner.

A roller coaster ride in a test match where he turned himself from a villain on Day 1 to a hero on Day 5.
 
Neil Wagner retires from Test cricket after he was told that he will not be picked for the series against Australia. Wagner played 64 Tests for New Zealand and picked up 260 wickets at an average of 27.57 and SR of 52. A brilliant bowler who has bowled from amazing spells for New Zealand in Tests.
 
Alongside lifting the WTC Mace in Southampton in 2021, Wagner cited blocking out for a draw and a Test series win against England in 2018, and last year’s one-run victory over the same opposition, among the top highlights of his sparkling career in the Black Cap.

BLACKCAPS coach Gary Stead said Wagner’s impact went beyond statistics.

“Neil’s numbers are phenomenal, but I don’t think we can underestimate his contributions to the team when the chips were down and he found a way to create a wicket.

“His accuracy, execution and tenacity has been instrumental in many of our great Test victories and he will always be remembered for his lion-hearted nature.

“Neil gave absolutely everything to the BLACKCAPS and we are certainly going to miss his energy and ‘never give in’ attitude.”

BLACKCAPS Test captain Tim Southee described Wagner as one of the great team men.

“You always knew what you were going to get with Neil and that was 100% commitment to the cause,” he said.

“He would do anything for the team and has earned nothing but respect and admiration within the dressing room.

“Personally, I’ve enjoyed a great relationship with Neil on and off the field and am sure our friendship will continue for years to come.

“It’s going to be great to have him with us this week for the first Test and we’ll look forward to celebrating his incredible career at the end of the match.”

NZC CEO Scott Weenink saluted Wagner and his contribution to the game in this country.

“His record speaks for itself, but I think it’ll be his passion and commitment to the team for which he’ll be best remembered.

“Neil epitomised the best of what the BLACKCAPS are about during one of their most successful periods, and he should be immensely proud of his contribution.

“It’s nice that some of our freshest memories of him at home involve Test wins over England, Sri Lanka and South Africa.”

Wagner will be acknowledged at the Cello Basin Reserve during the first Test and further celebrated at the ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards in Christchurch on March 13.

He will remain available for his Major Association Northern Districts, and confirmed his intention to continue playing next season - whether in New Zealand or overseas.

NZC
 
In the last decade, the only Test bowlers who were on par or better than him were

1. Bumrah
2. Rabada
3. OZ trio
4. Jimmy/Broad

Comfortably NZ's best.
 
Incredible incredible bowler.

What made him so fun to watch is that he was so unique, I can’t think of any other fast bowler like him that was so successful.
 
New Zealand is pretty desperate to find a win against Australia in their home series. They may try Neil Wagner.

--------------------------------

Black Caps could turn to Neil Wagner after first test at Basin Reserve

The Black Caps offered no resistance in the final stages of the first test while their most belligerent player watched from the sidelines.

Now, facing an injury concern ahead of the second match against Australia, Neil Wagner could be in contention for a shock return.

New Zealand captain Tim Southee left open that possibility following his side’s 172-run defeat at the Basin Reserve, a day-four collapse sealing the result on Sunday.

Chasing a record 369 for an improbable victory, the hosts were again undone by veteran offspinner Nathan Lyon (6-65), losing their last seven wickets for 85 runs.

Southee conceded his side had misread home conditions for the second straight test, opting to play four seamers and watching as Lyon completed a 10-wicket haul. It was a similar story in last month’s win over South Africa in Hamilton but the Black Caps remained wedded to their four-prong medium-pace attack.

That is unlikely to change when the second test starts at the traditionally seam-friendly Hagley Oval on Friday - though the identity of the quicks is less certain.

Will O’Rourke was forced off the field with hamstring tightness on the third day and, with an update on the 22-year-old’s fitness expected on Monday, the Black Caps could be short of pace.

Wagner was the sole other seamer in the squad but meant to be released before the second match. Despite the veteran making a tearful retirement announcement before the first test, Southee wouldn’t rule out a hasty change of plan.

The skipper was speaking shortly after the end of play and seemed reluctant when quizzed about what would be an extraordinary reversal, considering Wagner had become increasingly ineffective.

Bowler and captain also clashed at Seddon Park - where a little-used Wagner took two wickets - before his shock retirement ahead of a match in which the 37-year-old was lauded during fielding stints as a sub.

But when asked specifically whether Wagner could be recalled, Southee did not dash that possibility.

“We haven’t had a lot of discussions as yet,” he said. “We’ll see how Will scrubs up - the physio hasn’t put a timeframe on it or how bad it is.

“We obviously have to go and make a decision on who comes in and what role they play in Christchurch.

“[Wagner] has had a great reception here over the last week when he got a couple of moments on the field and obviously he’s been a fan favourite for a long time.”

The reception was different for Scott Kuggeleijn, whose introduction throughout the match was greeted by the crowd in notably muted fashion. While fan sentiment around his selection is mixed, Southee defended what was a middling performance.

“He’s still finding his feet at test level,” the captain said. “He’s bowled well at times - it was tough out there with that wind. He picked up a couple of wickets in the first innings, which were crucial.

“It’s tougher to bowl that fast into the wind, but he’s shown in the past that he’s got an extra yard of pace.”

Kuggeleijn was never clocked much quicker than 130km/h, while his two wickets came from nicking out a struggling Marnus Labuschagne and getting wicketkeeper Alex Carey to drive straight to cover.

But with Kyle Jamieson a long-term absentee and Southee once more discounting the possibility of a return for Trent Boult, the Northern Districts veteran is likely to earn a third cap in Christchurch.

The unfortunate Mitchell Santner might again miss out, when he could well have thrived on turning tracks in Hamilton and Wellington.

“We’ve played a lot of cricket here and I haven’t seen it spin like that,” Southee said. “We’ll go to Hagley and hopefully assess the wicket a little bit better than what we did here.

“It’s a ground that has offered options for those four seamers in the past, but we’ll get down there and have a closer look then make a decision.”

One decision Southee would like back was the way his side approached the pivotal second morning at the Basin.

As Cameron Green and Josh Hazlewood built a record 10th-wicket stand, the Black Caps expected the player of the match to go down swinging and offered plenty of bait. But Green (174no) played more traditionally and the test gradually escaped the hosts’ grasp.

“We got things slightly wrong,” Southee said. “That was probably the difference - that last-wicket partnership and how [Green] was able to bat with Josh.

“It probably took the game away from us. With the benefit of hindsight, we probably could’ve done some things differently.”

SOURCE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/ne...-at-basin-reserve/M2B7HR3KIREBZEBL5ZG7HZPMVE/
 
There is no issue with looking past a 37 year old fast bowler when trying to build for the future, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wagner get a farewell appearance in the final Test, given that New Zealand have a triple challenge in the seam department with the promising O’Rourke being injured, Boult not being selectable in Tests at the moment & the controversy around Kuggeleijn.

Neil’s “retirement” has been quite odd anyway with him still hanging around the team in his cricket gear, chilling on the bench with the other players and helping out with sub fielding. He is a bit like the guy at work who left your office a while ago but still keeps popping back in for a chat lol.
 
Whoever has done so, just subtracted three years from his potential career

====

Former New Zealand's star batter Ross Taylor has raised speculation about fast bowler Neil Wagner's retirement, implying that it might have been compelled, indicating potential discord within the New Zealand cricket team.

Despite being informed that he wouldn't feature in the playing XI for the series against Australia, Wagner emotionally declared his retirement in a press conference ahead of the first Test.

Interestingly, the 37-year-old Wagner did participate in the first Test as a substitute fielder and occasionally served as a drinks carrier.

"I think it all makes sense a little bit now. There's no sugarcoating it. I think it's a forced retirement. If you listen to Wagner's press conference, he was retiring, but it was after this last Test match. So he did make himself available," Taylor said while speaking on ESPN's Around the Wicket podcast.

"And to see that he isn't selected ... I think I do like and you do need to plan for the future, but a one-off Test against Australia in a must-win situation, I wouldn't be looking much further than Neil Wagner. And I'm sure the Australian batters are sleeping easy that he's not in the side," Taylor added.

Just last week, Wagner concluded his illustrious 64-Test career, exiting the cricket scene as New Zealand's fifth-highest wicket-taker, having claimed an impressive total of 260 victims.

Wagner was picked in the squad for the two home Tests against Pat Cummins's Australia but was told by head coach Gary Stead that he would not play in either match.

He fought back tears as he confirmed his retirement from international cricket alongside Stead.

Born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa, Wagner migrated to New Zealand in 2008 and played a key role in his adopted nation's rise to the world No 1 ranking and the inaugural World Test Championship title win in 2021.

Source: Times of India
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sad to see him forced out like this. I did get the feeling that he was on his last legs during the last series against South Africa. But when you look at New Zealand's bowling attack which is both inexperienced and bereft with injuries, he should have been a first choice pick for the Australia tests. Especially because he was the only bowler who seemed to trouble the Australians during New Zealand's last tour of Australia.

Heck of a cricketer though. He peaked late but was still able to achieve alot of success. He was a crucial component of that bowling attack along with Boult and Southee, and has a big hand in all the success New Zealand achieved in test cricket between 2016 and 2021 that culminated with that World Test Championship win.

One thing that stood out most about him was his passion and attitude towards the game. He was never express but his ability to bowl those endless bouncer barrages and those long spells always impressed me. I remember in 2018 he bowled like a 9 over spell in Abu Dhabi to trigger yet another Pakistani batting capitulation, when they were defending 190 something. Very underrated and always will be.
 
Another reason why Wagner was so successful was because he was the perfect third seamer for New Zealand. You had Boult who was the spearhead, the gun bowler who was going to swing the new ball and get you the big wickets. Then you had Southee who was the experienced pro who could both swing the ball and seam it. He provided you control, consistency and experience. And then you had Wagner who was there to play the role of the enforcer and just keep hammering batters with bouncer after bouncer and aggressive lengths. The contrast between the three is what made New Zealand's attack so versatile and successful.
 
Aaron Finch also looks surprised not to have picked Neil Wagner against Australia.


1709682289347.png
 
Addressing a media conference alongside incumbent captain Tim Southee, since the pair will be appearing in their 100th Test together against Australia in 2nd Test, Williamson said he has not seen the comments made by Taylor:

"I don't think anybody is forced to retire. Last week, (Wagner) had a fantastic week reflecting on what was an incredible career, and we had some amazing moments in the dressing room and, you know, it didn't all go perfectly obviously, an on-field performance would have helped."

"But it was so much more than that and he's just done such incredible things for this team and we've seen the skill that he has and the numbers that everybody sees."

"But, you know, the heart and soul and effort that he's brought to the side and largely led through that for so long."

"It's been incredible and it was quite a special week for that reason. I think he had a really amazing time."

"I'm not involved in those discussions, but from what I gather, he's now retired."
 

Durham sign ex-New Zealand fast bowler Wagner​


Durham have signed experienced former New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner until the end of the 2024 season.

The 38-year-old left-arm seamer will be available for Durham's final five County Championship matches as well as the remainder of the One-Day Cup.

Director of cricket Marcus North told the club website , externalthat he was "delighted" to sign the veteran paceman, who took 260 wickets in 64 Tests for the Black Caps.

“To be able to recruit a player with international experience is huge for us," North said.

“His left-arm pace will complement our bowling attack immensely and with over 800 first-class wickets to his name, we believe he is a quality signing who will only add a further competitive edge to our team."

Wagner, who retired from international cricket in February, has had previous stints in county cricket with Northamptonshire, Lancashire, Essex and, most recently, at Somerset last summer.

He said he was "grateful" for the chance to return to England and was looking forward to "adding to the success of the team" at Durham

Durham currently sit fifth in Division One of the County Championship following promotion in 2023 and defeated Lancashire in their opening fixture of the One-Day Cup on Wednesday.

www.bbc.com

Neil Wagner: Durham sign ex-New Zealand fast bowler for final stages of season

Durham sign ex-New Zealand left-arm quick Neil Wagner for the final five matches of the County Championship season.
www.bbc.com
 
www.nzherald.co.nz

Neil Wagner: 17 years later, a legend farewells domestic cricket

Bad news for middle-order batters on Western Bay of Plenty club scene next summer
www.nzherald.co.nz www.nzherald.co.nz

Black Caps legend Neil Wagner farewells domestic cricket​


After 17 seasons, the time has come for Neil Wagner.

The World Test Championship-winning former Black Caps seamer has confirmed to Newstalk ZB tomorrow’s Plunket Shield match between Northern Districts and Otago in Dunedin will be his last professional fixture on Kiwi soil.

Wagner has relentlessly thumped his right boot into creases around the country for almost 17 years, having arrived from his native South Africa in 2008 in search of cricketing opportunity.

The 39-year-old said after one summer back as a permanent part of the ND squad, the decision to end his domestic career in New Zealand was made on pragmatic terms.

“I’ve smashed my body up a lot in the role I do.

“I can definitely feel the aches and pains getting harder. And with a young family with three kids 5 and under, it takes a toll spending a lot of time away.

“It’s time for the younger guys to take the lead. I’m grateful to have played so many games in New Zealand, but the young guys need to get time in middle.”

The time, though, for passing on that mantle hasn’t quite arrived yet.


The cricketing gods didn’t give Wagner the farewell he wanted from the international arena.

After taking 260 test wickets to land fifth on New Zealand’s all-time list, his release from the squad before last summer’s home series against Australia led him to announce an earlier-than-planned Black Caps retirement.

But they have granted him the opportunity to close this latest chapter of his career in fairytale fashion.

Wagner’s last domestic match in New Zealand will be the same fixture as his first — when he played for Otago against ND — University Oval.

The final-round clash also presents him with a chance to bow out by lifting a prize that has eluded him throughout, with ND leading the Plunket Shield standings by seven points.

“It’s nice how it’s gone full circle and to be finishing in a place that’s dear to me.

“But it would be the cherry on top to lift the Plunket Shield there, so I will definitely be emptying the tank and giving it everything.

“You don’t really plan these things, but it’s lucky how it’s worked out, and there’s a nice touch to it.”

There are still a couple of lasts to come before full retirement kicks in.


Wagner has signed on for the 2025 County season in England for a yet-to-be-revealed team.


He’s also confirmed his kit bag won’t quite be going up into the attic when he returns from the UK later in the year.

The reason — a nagging and persistent line of enquiry from the Papamoa Cricket Club requesting his presence in their team in the Western Bay of Plenty Association’s division one men’s competition.

“They have been chasing me up a bit to play, so there’s a high chance I’ll run out for a couple of games.

“I don’t think I’ll be bowling the way I have been. I’ll just play and enjoy and probably won’t be sending down too many short ones past the ears, but the competitiveness might still be there.”

You can guarantee that will to win will be there at University Oval across the next four days.

The same way it’s been throughout a career that took a young lad from Pretoria all the way to the pinnacle of the sport.
 
Quality player. He had this exceptional ability to bounce players out by hitting the ground hard at the right length.

264 wickets in 64 tests at an average of 27 makes him world class and borderline NZ legend.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
How did Shaun Pollock manage to achieve so much success as a bowler?
2 3
Replies
175
Views
4K
Hitman
Hitman
Mamoon
The Jasprit Bumrah workload myth: Is opting out of the 2nd Test against England justified?
6 7 8
Replies
563
Views
11K
Technics 1210
Technics 1210
mominsaigol
[PICTURES/VIDEOS] Justice for Salman Ali Agha? Why can't he be a regular for Pakistan?
2 3 4
Replies
282
Views
44K
The Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle
B
Which cricketing nation produces the most talent?
Replies
44
Views
915
BunnyRabbit
B
Z
Mohammad Abbas and the Legacy of Pakistani Fast Bowlers in County Cricket
Replies
1
Views
428
cricfan432
C
Back
Top