Neil Wagner

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Neil Wagner

| image = 2 37 Neil Wagner.jpg

| caption = Wagner playing for Essex in 2017

| country = New Zealand

| fullname = Neil Wagner

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1986|3|13}}{{cite book |last1=Lynch |first1=Steven |title=The Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2014: The Definitive Player-by-Player Guide |date=2014 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-1-4081-9473-7 |page=193 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N4pTAgAAQBAJ&q=%22Neil+Wagner%22&pg=PA193 |access-date=16 January 2020 |language=en}}

| birth_place = Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa

| nickname =

| heightm =

| batting = Left-handed

| bowling = Left-arm fast-medium

| role = Bowler

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2012–2024

| testdebutdate = 25 July

| testdebutyear = 2012

| testdebutagainst = West Indies

| testcap = 256

| lasttestdate = 13 February

| lasttestyear = 2024

| lasttestagainst = South Africa

| club1 = Northerns

| year1 = {{nowrap|2005/06–2007/08}}

| club2 = Titans

| year2 = {{nowrap|2006/07–2007/08}}

| club3 = Otago

| year3 = {{nowrap|2008/09–2017/18}}

| club4 = Northamptonshire

| year4 = 2014

| club5 = Lancashire

| year5 = 2016

| club6 = Essex

| year6 = 2017–2018

| club7 = Northern Districts

| year7 = 2018/19–2024/25

| club8 = Somerset

| year8 = 2023

| club9 = Durham

| year9 = 2024

| columns = 4

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 64

| runs1 = 875

| bat avg1 = 14.58

| 100s/50s1 = 0/1

| top score1 = 66*

| deliveries1 = 13,725

| wickets1 = 260

| bowl avg1 = 27.57

| fivefor1 = 9

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 7/39

| catches/stumpings1 = 19/–

| column2 = FC

| matches2 = 212

| runs2 = 3,777

| bat avg2 = 17.32

| 100s/50s2 = 0/11

| top score2 = 72

| deliveries2 = 43,222

| wickets2 = 849

| bowl avg2 = 27.08

| fivefor2 = 37

| tenfor2 = 2

| best bowling2 = 7/39

| catches/stumpings2 = 69/–

| column3 = LA

| matches3 = 122

| runs3 = 693

| bat avg3 = 12.37

| 100s/50s3 = 0/0

| top score3 = 45*

| deliveries3 = 5,959

| wickets3 = 185

| bowl avg3 = 28.97

| fivefor3 = 3

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 5/34

| catches/stumpings3 = 21/–

| column4 = T20

| matches4 = 94

| runs4 = 279

| bat avg4 = 9.96

| 100s/50s4 = 0/0

| top score4 = 36

| deliveries4 = 1,895

| wickets4 = 103

| bowl avg4 = 26.52

| fivefor4 = 0

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 4/33

| catches/stumpings4 = 15/–

| date = 1 April 2025

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/233713.html ESPNcricinfo

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's Cricket}}

{{MedalCountry |{{NZ}} }}

}}

Neil Wagner (born 13 March 1986) is a New Zealand former Test cricketer who played for New Zealand and Northern Districts cricket teams. He played for Northerns until 2007/08 and Otago between 2008 and 2018. Wagner was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. On 27 February 2024, he announced his retirement from international cricket.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/new-zealand-quick-announces-surprise-retirement |title=New Zealand quick announces surprise retirement |work=International Cricket Council |date=27 February 2024 |access-date=27 February 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/new-zealand-news-neil-wagner-retires-from-international-cricket-1422785 |title=Neil Wagner retires from international cricket |work=ESPNcricinfo |date=27 February 2024 |access-date=27 February 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nzc.nz/news-items/neil-wagner-retires-from-international-cricket/ |title=Neil Wagner retires from international cricket |work=New Zealand Cricket |access-date=27 February 2024}}

Early career

Wagner was born at Pretoria and attended Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool as a high school student where he played for the 1st team alongside AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis.{{cite web|url=https://x.com/Puneite_/status/1762505622199885955?s=20 |title=AB devilliers, Faf du Plessis and Neil Wagner attended the same school ( Afrikaanse Hoer Seunskool ) They were teammates for their school cricket team.}} He is a left-handed batsman and left-arm medium-fast bowler who toured Zimbabwe and Bangladesh with South African Academy sides and was twelfth man in two Test matches for South Africa.

In 2008, he moved to Dunedin, New Zealand to play domestic cricket for Otago in 2008.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-27 |title=Wagner retires from test cricket |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/510296/wagner-retires-from-test-cricket |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}} He played a total of 190 matches for Otago and took a total of 579 wickets.{{Cite web |title=Northern Districts bound Wagner thanks Otago Cricket |url=https://www.nzc.nz/news-items/archive/northern-districts-bound-wagner-thanks-otago-cricket/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=NZC |language=en-US}}

In June 2009, he was awarded a place in the New Zealand Emerging Players team under Peter Fulton, and eventually made his test debut for New Zealand against the West Indies in 2012. He played 64 Test matches for New Zealand.

World record

On 6 April 2011, Wagner took four wickets in four balls against Wellington when he dismissed Stewart Rhodes, Joe Austin-Smellie, Jeetan Patel and Ili Tugaga. He then took the wicket of Mark Gillespie with the sixth ball of the same over: five wickets in one 6-ball over, the first time this has been achieved in first-class cricket. His bowling figures for the innings were 6/36, his personal best at that time.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/nzdomestic-2010/engine/current/match/475472.html |title=Otago v Wellington at Queenstown, Apr 4–6, 2011 | Cricket Scorecard |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 March 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ept09/content/story/408593.html|title=Fulton to lead New Zealand Emerging Players|date=12 June 2009|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=26 March 2010}}{{youTube|OAwONaBP7JE|World record wicket haul – five in six balls – Neil Wagner}}

International career

Wagner was born to South African parents but he has New Zealand heritage through his grandmother.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

After an uneven start to his Test career against the West Indies and his birth country, South Africa, Wagner established himself as a reliable third seamer for New Zealand side during their 2013 home and away series against England, taking 19 wickets in five Tests. He produced consistent performances over the next two years, including a man-of-the-match eight-wicket haul against India at Eden Park. Despite that, he struggled to maintain his place in the side and was not selected for either of New Zealand's two Tests against England in 2015.

Wagner returned to the side during the Sri Lankan tour of New Zealand in late 2015. He produced a series of strong performances, and New Zealand comfortably won the series. Before the Test, skipper Brendon McCullum described Wagner as his "workhorse".{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/new-zealand-v-sri-lanka-2015-16/content/story/952133.html |title=When workhorse Wagner brought down the barn door |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=14 December 2015 |access-date=30 August 2016}}

Those performances earned him another call-up for the second Test against Australia.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-new-zealand-2015-16/content/story/937527.html |title=Wagner called in as cover for injured Southee |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=30 August 2016}} Wagner bowled well, taking seven wickets including six in the first innings. Since then, Wagner has been a regular starter in the New Zealand Test side.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Wagner continued his fine form during New Zealand's tour of Zimbabwe in 2016, and won the player of the series award. He took 11 wickets in the two-match series, including a five-wicket haul in the first Test.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/zimbabwe-v-new-zealand-2016/content/story/1040215.html |title=Zimbabwe on the back foot before a ball bowled |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=28 July 2016 |access-date=30 August 2016}} New Zealand then toured Wagner's homeland of South Africa.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-new-zealand-2016/content/story/1050983.html |title=Homecoming for 'fully converted Kiwi' Neil Wagner |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=27 August 2016 |access-date=30 August 2016}} In the second Test, although New Zealand were soundly beaten, Wagner again led the attack, taking his fourth five-wicket bag.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-new-zealand-2016/engine/match/936129.html |title=New Zealand tour of South Africa, 2nd Test: South Africa v New Zealand at Centurion, Aug 27–31, 2016 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=30 August 2016}}

In April 2017, Wagner was named in New Zealand's One Day International (ODI) squad for the 2017 Ireland Tri-Nation Series.{{Cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/story/1090282.html |title=Latham to lead NZ in Ireland, uncapped Rance in squad |access-date=6 April 2017 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}

On 1 December 2017, Wagner became the opening partner to Trent Boult, because Tim Southee was injured, and claimed his best figures of 7/39, which was also a New Zealand record, to claim 7/39 within a day, and within two sessions of play.{{Cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/17952/scorecard/1115793/New-Zealand-vs-West-Indies-1st-Test-wi-in-nz-2017-18 |title=NZ 85/2 (37.0 ov, LRPL Taylor 12*, JA Raval 29*, ST Gabriel 0/22) - Live {{!}} Match Summary {{!}} ESPNCricinfo |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=2017-12-01}}

In May 2018, he was one of twenty players to be awarded a new contract for the 2018–19 season by New Zealand Cricket.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23512513/todd-astle-bags-first-new-zealand-contract |title=Todd Astle bags his first New Zealand contract |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=15 May 2018}} In November 2018, in the second match against Pakistan, he took his 150th Test wicket.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/news/tea-report-neil-wagner-completes-150-wickets-after-pakistan-take-lead-766461 |title=Tea Report: Neil Wagner completes 150 wickets after Pakistan take lead |work=Cricket Country |date=17 November 2018 |access-date=17 November 2018}} In December 2019, in the second Test against Australia, Wagner took his 200th Test wicket, and finished the 2019/20 home season ranked as the number two Test bowler in the International Cricket Council's world rankings.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/neil-wagner-record-fastest-200-test-wickets-new-zealand-second-sir-richard-hadlee-australia/2019-12-28 |title=Relentless Wagner races to 200 Test wickets |work=Cricket Australia |access-date=28 December 2019}}

In December 2020, in the second match against the West Indies, Wagner played in his 50th Test.{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-in-nz-2020-21-1233943/new-zealand-vs-west-indies-2nd-test-1233958/match-preview |title=Tom Latham leads as New Zealand focus on climbing up Test Championship table |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=10 December 2020}}

In May 2021, Wagner was named in New Zealand's squad for the Test series against England and the World Test Championship final against India.{{Cite web |title=India vs New Zealand WTC final : India vs New Zealand World Test Championship final: Squads, schedule, venue, telecast - All you need to know|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/amp/sports/cricket/article/india-vs-new-zealand-world-test-championship-final-squads-schedule-venue-telecast-all-you-need-to-know/754564 |access-date=2021-05-15 |website=www.timesnownews.com}} He played in all three Tests, finishing the tour with 10 wickets, including three in New Zealand's World Test Championship victory. He retired from playing test cricket at the age of 37 years in February 2024. He said of retirement: "I've enjoyed every single moment of playing Test cricket for the Black Caps and am proud of everything we've been able to achieve as a team. The friendships and bonds built over my career are what I'll cherish the most and I want to thank everyone who's played a part in where I am today. My teammates have always meant the world to me and all I've ever wanted to do was what was best for the team - I hope that's the legacy I will leave".

Domestic Career

After playing for Otago from 2008, Wagner moved north and joined Northern Districts in 2018. He finished his career with Northern Districts in 2025. His final game was against Otago , where Northern Districts won and as a result won the Plunket Shield for the first time since 2012. Wagner took five wickets and said of the game "Yeah, cherry on the top, like it's just, couldn't have asked for a better ending. Plunket Shield is one of the only things I've never been able to achieve as a team, and to do that in your last game here is definitely a tick off the bucket list and a pretty special day. It's a nice way to end what has been a pretty special time in New Zealand".{{Cite web |last=ESPNcricinfo staff |date=1 April 2025 |title='Definitely a tick off the bucket list' - emotional Wagner signs off with Plunket Shield in his hands |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/emotional-neil-wagner-finishes-new-zealand-domestic-career-with-plunket-shield-glory-1479177 |website=ESPN CricInfo}}{{Cite web |date=2025-04-01 |title=Fairytale finish for Neil Wagner as Northern Districts win Plunket Shield |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/556849/fairytale-finish-for-neil-wagner-as-northern-districts-win-plunket-shield |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}} He has signed to play cricket for Durham between June and September 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-31 |title=Neil Wagner: New Zealand fast bowler re-signs for Durham |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/c87p0xz7pv8o |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}