Retired Kiwi Pacer Neil Wagner Comes On As Substitute Fielder In NZ vs AUS Wellington Test

New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner prioritised his team's needs and came in as a substitute fielder during the first Test against Australia.

Neil Wagner of New Zealand looks on during day one of the First Test in the series between New Zealand and Australia at Basin Reserve on February 29, 2024 in Wellington, New Zealand.

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Neil Wagner, the retired New Zealand fast bowler, received a warm reception from the fans as he was on the field once again. However, this time around he was not part of the playing 11 as he has already announced his decision to hang up his cricketing boots. Wagner came in as a substitute fielder during the first Test against Australia at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

For context, the 37-year-old had announced that he would be retiring from international cricket after the team management informed him that he would not be part of their plans in the series in a bid to give more opportunities to the younger stars. However, Wagner still decided to continue to be part of the squad for the first Test and bowled in net sessions to help their batters gear up for the Australia series.

When the team needed his services, Wagner yet again stepped up and did not mind coming in as a substitute in the 69th over of the Australian innings. It is pertinent to note that Wagner has had a remarkable career in Test match cricket. Hailing from South Africa, the left-arm speedster moved to New Zealand in 2008 and went on to debut for the Proteas in 2012. Over time, he earned a reputation for his ability to bowl long and testing spells and be a genuine wicket-taker for his side.

A special reception for Neil Wagner on the boundary at the Basin Reserve 🏏 #NZvAUS #ThanksWags pic.twitter.com/mMw1GO6UdK

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 29, 2024

Neil Wagner Picked Over 800 Wickets In First-Class Cricket

He represented the Black Caps in 64 Test matches and managed to scalp 260 wickets over the course of his career. He averaged 27.57 with the ball in hand in the game's purest format. Wagner had as many as nine five-wicket hauls throughout the course of his career. While he had 13 four-wicket hauls. In his overall first-class career, Wagner played 205 matches, picking 821 wickets. 

Despite a decent List A and T20 career, Wagner never represented New Zealand in the shorter formats.