The rise and rise of Neil Wagner
When Neil Wagner returned to No 2 in the world test bowling rankings this week, a spot he first occupied a year ago, he was tagged in a light-hearted Instagram message from Stuart Broad.
‘‘Take it easy @neilwagner13,’’ the England seamer wrote, having been dislodged to No 3.
Wagner laughed along and, as he admitted at a misty, grey Basin Reserve in Wellington yesterday, two days out from his 50th test, he still wasn’t sure how to react to his lofty perch behind Australia’s Pat Cummins.
‘‘Yeah, tough one. It’s nice, a reflection of having some good form of recent times and contributing to some performances, but it also feels a little bit unreal,’’ Wagner said.
‘‘There’s a lot of quality bowlers who are better than me who are down the ranks. Hopefully I can keep contributing and help win games for New Zealand, that’s the main thing for me.’’
Wagner turns 35 in March,
At a glance
Records of the current top-five bowlers on the ICC world test rankings (in the past two years):
■ 1.Pat Cummins (Australia): 16 tests, 77 wickets at 20.1, 3x5 wickets in an innings
■ 2.Neil Wagner (New Zealand) :11 tests, 60 wickets at 20.8, 4x5wi
■ 3.Stuart Broad (England): 19 tests, 81 wickets at 20.3, 2x5wi
■ 4.Tim Southee (New Zealand) :13 tests, 65 wickets at 22.4, 3x5wi
■ 5.Kagiso Rabada (South Africa): 11 tests, 46 wickets at 27, 0x5wi
having made his test debut in the Caribbean eight years ago.
As the rankings suggest, the left-armer is improving with age.
Wagner’s secret, says Black Caps bowling coach Shane Jurgensen, is hardly rocket science: hard toil in the nets and the gym to prepare for one of sport’s most physically taxing roles.
‘‘That’s the key for all of our bowlers who’ve been in the test team for a while: the work they do off the field with their fitness. Neil made the adjustment eight years ago, that shift in terms of getting fit and strong,’’ Jurgensen said.
‘‘He’ll bowl 8-10 overs in the nets, as he did with me at Bay Oval during the winter, and next minute he’s doing sprints and next minute he’s at the gym. Then when he’s been injured he’s been playing golf, working his way back.
‘‘His attitude is infectious, what he does for the team in terms of wanting to bowl all the time and constantly improve his game.’’
Indeed, Wagner emphasised he was no one-trick pony relying on relentless bodyline tactics, producing lethal inswingers to West Indies batsmen that Trent Boult would have been proud of.
Wagner will receive his 50th cap tonight and there may be some misty eyes in the house.
‘‘I’m getting goosebumps when you mention it. Quite emotional, all the sacrifices and everything you’ve done to be here and play 50 test matches. It means a lot.
‘‘Pretty stoked about it and nice to have my family here to share that moment with me.’’