Trans-Tasman Cricket: Wellington Test Match Wagner’s Last Stand

Neil Wagner of the New Zealand Black Caps signals during day three of the Men's Second Test in the series between New Zealand and South Africa at Seddon Park in Hamilton, New Zealand, on Feb. 15, 2024. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

The odds are heavily stacked against New Zealand’s Black Caps cricket team when they host World Test champion, Australia, in a two-test, trans-Tasman series starting on Feb. 29 in Wellington.

Despite being geographically local, the ANZAC combatants barely play each other in Test Cricket with the last meeting in New Zealand dating back to 2016. Big Brother holds the statistical upper hand, with New Zealand having won only one home test over their brash rivals since 1993, coupled with a solitary away win in Hobart in 2011.

Having accounted easily for an understrength South African side in recent weeks, the Black Caps, led by the imposing form of superstar batter Kane Williamson, raised the optimism of the Kiwi cricketing public that the drought of victories against the Aussies could be reversed.

Said optimism was eroded somewhat in last week’s three-game T20 series which served as a white-ball precursor to the tests, and whetted the collective appetites of Black Caps fans starved of competition.

Australia scraped a last-ball thriller at Wellington’s Sky Stadium in game one, before ruthlessly crushing New Zealand’s chases in games 2 and 3 at the baseball-diamond-shaped Eden Park.

However, a new New Zealand test match team, currently sitting atop the World Test rankings, will be bolstered by the return of test regulars Tom Latham, Matt Henry, and Tom Blundell, plus a return from injury for middle-order dynamo Daryl Mitchell who will inject some much-needed grit into the side.

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Standing in their way is a hardened Australian outfit stacked with proven world-class performers like Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood, who are expected to dominate.

Pat Cummins will captain Australia in their test series against New Zealand. (Paul Childs/ Action Images via Reuters)

Despite its reputation as a high-scoring ground, in recent seasons, the Basin Reserve, which comes with the added quirk of being surrounded by the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest roundabout, has greeted touring teams with a “greener than St Paddy’s Day” pitch, almost indistinguishable from the outfield, which should provide plenty of assistance for the seam bowlers and making the toss crucial.

Wagner’s Final Bowl

Thirty seven-year-old South African-born pace bowler Neil Wagner has played his last game with the Black Caps, announcing his retirement today after not being selected.

Wagner has played 64 tests for his adopted country after moving to New Zealand in 2008 after being frustrated by the quota system.

Wagner, who is known for his aggressive displays of short-pitched bowling and tigerish commitment to the cause has taken 260 test wickets at an average of 27 and will finish fifth on the list of New Zealand’s test wicket takers.

In explaining his retirement, Wagner said “It’s been an emotional week,“ before adding, “It’s not easy to step away from something you’ve given so much to and got so much out of, but it’s now time for others to step up and take this team forward.”

“I’ve enjoyed every single moment of playing Test cricket for the BLACKCAPS 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.”

The first Test starts on Feb. 29 at 11 a.m. NZDT (9 a.m. AEST).