His happy hunting ground
Wagner returns to successful venue
A green-tinged Basin Reserve wicket and a Neil Wagner with a point to prove are likely the last things Sri Lanka’s batsmen want to see on Saturday.
But that’s probably what they’re going to get as the Black Caps paceman returns to the ground where this time last year he ripped through the West Indies with a ferocious spell of shortpitched bowling. He took careerbest innings and match figures of
7-39 and 9-141 as New Zealand won by an innings and 67 runs.
There hasn’t been a lot of time for reflection since for the
32-year-old, what with the busy summer of cricket that was followed by a stint in English country cricket with Essex.
‘‘It feels like everything has been a big blur since that day till now,’’ he said yesterday.
The first innings seven-for was what would likely give him the inside running to edge out Matt Henry to be the third quick in the XI against Sri Lanka, alongside Trent Boult and Tim Southee.
Wagner was left out of the third test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi after taking 3-120 from 68 overs in the first two tests. He was replaced by Southee, who took four wickets, including three in the fourth innings as New Zealand secured a famous away test series victory.
You might think it was an odd experience for Wagner after essentially being dropped for Southee, but he said that was not the case.
‘‘It was pretty awesome to be honest, a surreal sort of feeling.
‘‘It’s one of those things, you always want to play and be part of the squad and contribute as much as you can, but you still have to play a part off the field. That’s part of our culture.’’
Part of those off-the-field duties such as passing on information to the team, running drinks, replacement fielding, personal gym work and training, throw-downs and net bowling.
Wagner expected another green Basin Reserve pitch to put the frighteners up Sri Lanka, but said it was unlikely it would do too much.
‘‘On the eye, it always looks like it’s going to do a hell of a lot more than what it sometimes does.
‘‘The Basin is renowned as a ground that is hard to take 20 wickets on. It’s not always easy. It can be a grafting ground.’’
Grafting is Wagner’s speciality and should come to the fore when day one starts on Saturday.