New Zealand left-arm pacer Neil Wagner is hopeful of his team commencing the Test series against South Africa on a good note. He also hoped that the pitch at the Hagley Oval plays out the way it typically does.
New Zealand will face a formidable challenge from South Africa when the first of the two Tests begins on Thursday.
“It’s looking pretty good at the moment. It’s just a typical Hagley wicket really, sort of what we expect from playing down here. There was a bit of sun on it yesterday, so yeah, the covers will be on it now which we obviously prefer, but it looks like a typical wicket.
“We know the conditions here, hopefully, we can start well on day one and exploit those conditions, and keep doing what we’ve been doing for a number of years,” said Wagner on SENZ Mornings show.
Talking further about the challenges posed by the pitch at the Hagley Oval, Wagner remarked, “It’s right up there with one of the top three bounciest wickets in the world. So as a bowler, you like those conditions when it’s nice and bouncy. We do love to play here, and we’ve got a pretty good record here which we are very proud of and hopefully can continue to do.”
Wagner, one of the four pillars of New Zealand’s pace attack, feels that pacer and local Canterbury lad Matt Henry will be an excellent replacement for left-arm pacer Trent Boult, who is unavailable due to the birth of his third child.
“Matt has been around the squad for years now, so he knows what is required of him when he comes in, and so do the rest of them. It’s just about us summing up the conditions really early, sharing that information, and adapting to what is in front of us.”
Wagner, 35, more known for his role as an enforcer late in the innings, revealed that he is frustrated with cricket watchers not recognizing that he can swing the ball well too.
“I don’t want to be seen as a one-trick pony. I sort of feel like I’ve got other skills on offer as well, but it’s more summing up the conditions and what’s in front of me. It ultimately comes down to what the team needs from me, what sort of role I need to play, and what the conditions do.”
