Neil Wagner

International career

Neil Wagner, born on 13 March 1986, is a former New Zealand Test cricketer. He played for New Zealand and Northern Districts. Wagner was part of the Northern Districts team until the 2007/08 season, then moved to Otago, where he played from 2008 to 2018. He was part of the New Zealand team that won the ICC World Test Championship from 2019 to 2021. Wagner announced his retirement from international cricket on 27 February 2024.

Wagner is a left-handed batsman and a left-arm medium-fast bowler. He toured Zimbabwe and Bangladesh with South African Academy sides and was the 12th man in two Test matches for South Africa.

• July 25-29, 2012: Debut for New Zealand against West Indies at North Sound.
• June 2009: Named in New Zealand Emerging Players team.
• 2012: Made Test debut against West Indies.
• 2013: Proved to be a reliable third seamer in the series against England, taking 19 wickets in 5 Tests.
• 2014: Played against South Africa and West Indies but struggled to maintain his place.
• 2015: Dropped for the Tests against England but returned for the Sri Lanka series.
• 2015: Brendon McCullum called him his "workhorse" after strong performances against Sri Lanka.
• 2016: Took 11 wickets and a five-wicket haul during the Zimbabwe series, earning Player of the Series.
• 2016: Took his fourth five-wicket haul in the second Test against South Africa.
• April 2017: Named in the ODI squad for the 2017 Ireland Tri-Nation Series.
• December 1, 2017: Became opening bowler alongside Trent Boult due to Tim Southee's injury, taking New Zealand's best figures of 7/39.
• May 2018: Awarded a contract for the 2018–19 season by New Zealand Cricket.
• November 2018: Took his 150th Test wicket against Pakistan.
• December 2019: Took his 200th Test wicket against Australia and ended the 2019/20 season ranked No. 2 in the ICC Test rankings.
• December 2020: Played his 50th Test against the West Indies.
• May 2021: Played in the Test series against England and the World Test Championship final, taking 10 wickets, including 3 in the WTC victory.
• February 13-16, 2024: Played his final Test against South Africa at Hamilton.
• February 2024: Announced his retirement from international Test cricket at 37 years old.

Leagues Participation

Neil Wagner played in the Vitality Blast.

Vitality Blast

Wagner took part in the Vitality Blast, with significant appearances in both the NatWest T20 Blast and the Vitality Blast.

Year	Team	Notes
2016	Lancashire	Played 5 matches, debuting against Nottinghamshire and taking a record 11 wickets, including 6/66 and 5/45. His performance was the second best debut since 1923.
2018	Essex	Played 3 matches after being invited to replace Mohammed Amir, who had to return to Pakistan for international duties.

Domestic career

Neil Wagner began his domestic career in South Africa, playing for the 1st team at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool alongside future cricketers AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis. In 2008, he moved to New Zealand to play for Otago. He stayed with Otago until 2018, playing 190 matches and taking 579 wickets. Wagner had a strong debut season, claiming 21 wickets, and continued to improve over the years. In the 2010-11 season, he was the top wicket-taker in the Plunket Shield and followed it with 46 wickets in the next season.

Before his time with Otago, Wagner started his career with Northerns in 2006-07, where he made a mark with two four-wicket hauls. Wagner played regularly for New Zealand's Test team but also aimed to break into the limited-overs formats. In 2023, he joined Somerset Cricket Club as a foreign player for the last three County Championship matches after a break due to injury. He had previously played for Essex, Lancashire, and Northamptonshire.

In 2024, Wagner joined Durham and played in the final five matches of the County Championship and the One Day Cup. He took four wickets in a match against Nottinghamshire before announcing his retirement from international cricket. During his Test career, Wagner played 64 matches for New Zealand, taking 260 wickets.

Records and achievements

Neil Wagner has earned many notable records and achievements in his career.

• 6 April 2011: Wagner took four wickets in four balls against Wellington, dismissing Stewart Rhodes, Joe Austin-Smellie, Jeetan Patel, and Ili Tugaga. He took a fifth wicket, dismissing Mark Gillespie with the sixth ball of the same over. This was the first time this had happened in first-class cricket. His figures for the innings were 6/36, a personal best at that time.
• 2019-2021 ICC World Test Championship: Wagner was part of the New Zealand team that won the World Test Championship.
• Fastest to 200 Test wickets: He reached 200 wickets in 46 Tests, the second-fastest in Test cricket history.
• Home Tests: Wagner took 178 wickets in 41 home Tests, with an average of 27.18.
• Away Tests: He took 76 wickets in 20 away Tests, with an average of 27.97.
• Test Career: Wagner has claimed 260 wickets in 64 Test matches, at an average of 27.57, including nine five-wicket hauls.
• Strike Rate: Wagner has a strike rate of 52.7, the second-best among New Zealand players with 100 or more wickets in Test cricket.

Personal life

Neil Wagner, the former cricketer from New Zealand, keeps most details of his personal life private. However, some information is known about his family, finances, and other aspects.

Family

Neil Wagner is married to Lana Wagner, a registered nurse who works at Tauranga Hospital. They married in 2013 and have three children. Their daughters, Olivia and Zahli, were born in 2020 and 2022, respectively. They welcomed their son, Joshua Caleb, in January 2024. Wagner frequently shares moments from their family life on his Instagram, posting photos and videos of their time together. He is originally from South Africa, but his connection to New Zealand comes from his grandmother, who was from New Zealand. Details about his siblings are not available, and Wagner has kept his family life private.

Finance

As of September 2024, Neil Wagner's net worth is around $72.1 million. This figure comes from various social factors, and the actual value might differ. He retired from international cricket on February 27, 2024.

House

Neil Wagner lives in Papamoa, New Zealand, where he moved in 2018 from Dunedin.

Scandals

In March 2024, Neil Wagner's retirement announcement led to some controversy. He announced his decision after not being picked for the two-test series against Australia. Some people, including Ross Taylor, thought Wagner may have faced pressure from the team. However, former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson disagreed with this idea. He explained that Wagner spent time reflecting on his career and sharing memories with the team. The reason behind Wagner’s retirement is still debated.

Fans

Wagner has gained much respect from his fans, especially after announcing his retirement. Many fans showed their appreciation for his cricket career. Some said that Test matches would feel different without him. On social media, Wagner's Instagram account has around 60,000 followers, where he shares moments with his family and engages with his supporters.