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Superstar pacer Neil Wagner retired from New Zealand's domestic cricket after helping Northern Districts clinch Plunket Shield title with his fiery fifer. The major highlight of Wagner's domestic career was when he stunned everyone by taking five wickets in an over in the same tournament in 2011. He had achieved that feat (6/36) while playing for Otago in the clash against Wellington when he was just 25-year-old.
Neil Wagner retires from New Zealand's domestic cricket after winning Plunket Shield
Cut to 2025, the now 39-year-old legendary pacer signed off his domestic career on a high with another fifer in his team's winning cause.
In a poetic ending, Neil Wagner brings his domestic cricket career to a close at the very same ground where it began back in 2008. In an interesting twist of fate, Wagner's debut match was for Otago against Northern District. He later made the move north, joining Northern District for the 2018/19 season.
The tenacious Kiwi fast bowler retired from international cricket in 2024. Now, he has achieved one of the few accolades that had eluded him throughout his impressive 17-year career.
“Definitely up there. 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," said Wagner after his last match.
The final round of the Plunket Shield held significant importance for Northern District, as a win was essential. With a tight contest at the top of the points table involving Northern District, Canterbury, and Wellington, they required the full outright win points to secure the coveted Shield.
On the fourth day of the match, the Otago Volts proved to be a challenging opponent for Northern District captain Jeet Raval. Northern District needed to claim seven more wickets, while the Volts still required 287 runs to win.
The morning session unfolded with thrilling intensity. Neil Wagner proved his prowess, taking four crucial wickets to clock his 37th five-wicket haul in domestic cricket. Young seamer Josh Brown provided valuable support, contributing with two additional wickets. The final wicket fell just before the lunch break, with Henry Cooper's spin bowling delivering the decisive scalp.
Following the conclusion of the game, Neil Wagner also shared his thoughts on the guard of honour he received from his teammates and opponents as a mark of respect for his illustrious career.
“It’s awkward, you don’t know what to say or what to do. Don’t expect these sort of things, and a very nice touch. Yeah, hopefully it meant that you played a part, I guess, in some of these guys’ lives and careers, and the way you play the game, I guess. I’ve sort of just put my head down and tried to walk through it as quick as possible and sort of get out of there. But, yeah, pretty special. I’ve started losing my voice, I’ve just been screaming in that change room," Wagner added.
“It’s a pretty special way to end what has been an amazing, I guess, like I say, 17 years in this beautiful country, playing, I guess, with my heart and soul on my sleeve and trying to give everything to try and win trophies and to do it, winning one on the last day, it’s pretty special," the legendary pacer signed off.
Neil Wagner had already made public his decision to retire from international cricket in 2024, prior to New Zealand's Test series against their Trans-Tasman rivals, Australia.
Wagner had shared this news on the day before the commencement of New Zealand's two-match Test series at home against Australia. The left-arm bowler concluded his glittery international career with a total of 260 Test wickets accumulated across 64 Test match appearances. Although the 37-year-old was included in New Zealand's squad for the series against Australia, he was informed that he would not be part of the playing XI for the first Test in Wellington. Consequently, he was released from the squad for the second Test in Christchurch.
Besides Test, Wagner took wickets tally includes 849 in first-class cricket, 185 in List A cricket and 103 in T20s.
