April 1, 2025 • 9 mins
A fairytale end to former Black Cap Neil Wagner's career.
Wagner's snagged a five-wicket haul as his Northern Districts side lifted domestic cricket's Plunket Shield by virtue of beating Otago by 134 runs on the final day in Dunedin.
He joined D'Arcy to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk zed B seven.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Fifty one sports Talk on news Talk z B. Away
from the Sailing. Let's go now to Neil Wagner. I
can say it because I believe it. One of New
Zealand's fast bowling greats retired from first class cricket today
in New Zealand. For his team Northern Districts. They went
to Otago, it's Neil's old team and picked up the
(00:34):
blanket Shield.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Oh so well done. Good evening, Neil, Good evening mate.
How a you going?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'm not as good as you. What a way to
finish a splendid New Zealand career the blanket Shield the
first time is Northern's done it and I don't know
how long, and you do it in your home away
from home, Otaga. You can't write scripts like this Neil Man.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Now it's very special.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
It's as amazing how it's gone gone through his full circle.
I guess obviously from starting my career year for Tigo
against Sandia and they played for India against Target in
the Oval and to you know, obviously play for Plunket
Shield and to be able to win it as yeah,
as as good as it gets made. It's an absolute
fairy tire ending can't ask me any better, and nice
(01:19):
to be unable to contribute and play.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Roll, I guess.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Dare I say it, you would have the same energy
and controlled aggression going into that game as you went
into your first Plunket Shield match, even if it was
Was it even called the Plunket Shield back then, Neil, No,
it was.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Stage shield my first year, I think.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
And it's sort of quite confusing because I think some
of his stats and things are staying as I guess
stage shield, and once it went to Plunket Shield, I
think it sort of changed after that.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
So a little bit confusing, I guess, and that SEMs.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
But it's nice that it's again, you know, the Plunket
Shield the way it should be and the history and
I think everything evolved of it. It's it's very special.
I think when you when you got to give us
a group start of season, it's the first trophy I
guess that you sort of took on the list of
you trying to aim and wanting to achieve and accomplish
and just bloody proud and glaire that we've been managing
and be able to do it.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
I said, you'd bring the same energy to the start
of that fixture as you did way back in the day.
And I think that's one of the hallmarks of your career, Neil.
It doesn't matter what is going on, you are going
full noise, one hundred and ten percent. You won't stop. Relentless.
As a phrase we could use for your career, nothing's
changed since the first time I interviewed. I don't know
(02:31):
how long ago to right here right now. You've maintained
that enthusiasm and that focused aggression. How do you do that?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
As the will and the ones mate?
Speaker 4 (02:41):
I guess, the I guess might never matter in a
big way. Yeah, I'm pitty nine years old and getting
in the older sort of side.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
But you want to want to achieve things?
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Do you want to do things the love of the game,
I guess and being around it and still wanting to
achieve things. I guess as the motivation and the drive,
the people around you and all those sort of things.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Are to it. So yeah, yeah, it was a body
pleasing way to do it.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
I knew I was going to enter the tank, I
guess in these last two games and give it absolutely
everything to try and try and do that and achieve
it and just body glad I've got that opportunity to
do it.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
So you picked up what a fifer in the second
innings she managed to smash yourself some runs as well.
There reasonably our quick time kind of set up for you.
You'll mate, jeet ravel and get in there and.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Have a swing.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
You Minles enjoy the end of this all.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Yeah, between him and be J's quite nice. It's funny
I started my first last career. I think it's as
an eye watchman up for your order. Everybody thought I
was a you know, top all a bed when they
pot the scorecard and to fit you know, you know nicely,
I guess at the top of the order.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Again.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
It's quite nice to finish it that way, is It
was quite nice for them to say, hey, strapping mind
mate and going to have a bit of a dip
in a crack.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Very pleasing. So just nice to contrib made.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
That's one thing I've always wanted to do since I've
set foot on the cricket fields. Find ways of winning
games and playing a role and putting your hand up
and times and it gets stuff and something I've always
done and bloody glad I you know, go that same
sort of way, and a few people I just remember
you for what you've done in the way you play
the game.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
It's not only your results, the speed with which have
collected to test wickets. It's the out and out aggression
that you've shown, but the ability to stay in the
same space as well as your famous bounces are concerned.
When did you come up with the idea that, you
know what, I'm going to just start attacking their heads
and throats of batsmen in a consistent basis. Did you
(04:37):
actually formulate that plan? What happened by accident? Where did
the famous Wagner delivery come from?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
I think it's well documented in my book, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And the name of your book is the perfect chance
to tell everybody.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Yeah, well out obviously, but I think, yeah, I think
it's well documented that, you know, a bouncer has always
been something that has.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Been in my armory and a bit of a weapon
for me and.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
That I've done well with and has got me wickets.
I swung the ball early just in my career. The
time I got the ball when someone Trent you know
sort of you know, didn't swing it as much anymore.
There was no point in me trying to swing it,
I guess.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
In a way, And yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
It took me a while to work out that I
wasn't as effective you know when the ball didn't swing,
So I had to find different methods in different ways.
And growing up and at Tiger and you knowble and
the work was pretty do soil and didn't offer much.
That became a weapon and something I started, you know,
leaning towards which created the I guess a test career
and and the way I played my game and yeah,
(05:36):
fitting way that you know, I sort of did it
again this week and and and went with those sort
of things that used to be a strengths and yeah,
quite a nice way to keep going of it. But yeah,
finding ways and different methods and different I guess styles.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
When when things don't really unfold.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
The early way was something I tried to always, you know,
I guess a gap to and I guess when I
moved over here.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I always that big admiration that you know, Kiwi teams,
you know.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
The thing you run the wall complimented about was finding
ways of you know, being successful with other teams couldn't
do it being street smart and street wise, and that's
something I try to try to argue implement of my game.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I've got a question for you after some conversations in
the office. You remember the infamous as Pertell team wicket bag.
How could you not they didn't want to bowl you
during that series because of course the angle you bowl
from mean there'll be huge footmarks everywhere for the spinners
to bowl out of. If they had have thrown you
the ball, would you have bowled the entire game around
(06:39):
the wicket?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Ah? But I'll do what ether the team needs. For me.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
That's always what I've done, and the person I am
is you know, it's the team first.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
For me.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
It's not about the individual and what they need. If
they come down and say, hey, we want you.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
To do this, I'll do it.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
So whatever case in scenario results, it's it's not up
to you. It's a team sport and ultimately there's some
bigger pictures around it and people I guess that make
this the cause you got respected. So whatever gets thrown
my way, I just taken the go over and say yes,
please help me do what you needed.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
And it's not the end of the career. It is
back here in New Zealand, but you're off over to
England to play some county cricket. As you said at
the ripe old age of thirty nine, just keeps getting better,
doesn't it. Waggs.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Yeah, I feel like I've got some unfinished business. I've
broken my shoulder last year Durham and didn't finish my season.
Me and been and talks to them sort of ever since,
and quite nice that you know, they give them the
opportunity to go back.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
There and try. And now I guess push my case
to you last.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I guess last pushy, I'll probably my chance, we'll finish
my career will be nice sort of fitting way. I'll
make a call and there and see how things unfold.
But you try and go into the tank for a
team that you know, I got close to my heart
pretty quickly, some really good people and make some really
good friendships over there, and I want to go try
and play a part.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Over me and one last thing. And I'm sure you
get a hundred of these questions throughout the next few days.
Any regrets around your time. I'm at the top of
the New Zealand bowling tree.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
No regrets made. I think the beauty of this game,
you're going to have things that's always challenging. You would
have loved to have played wideball cricket from the Zealand
and it just never happened, And that's just the way
the cookie crumble, I guess in a way, it's it's
something that I wanted to always do or achieve and
I wasn't able to And that's just the way I guess.
You know, life goes, and yeah, you sometimes in a phrase,
(08:33):
your limbs you got to squeeze and find find different ways.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
And that's what I'm trying to do.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
So I wouldn't say in regrets made, I've sort of
learned along the way and still learning till today and
trying to have that mindset of you being open to
adapting and learning and being able to achieve greater things.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
From regrets to the greatest moment? Is there one? And
then we'll leave you alone after this, mate, I know
you're busy, but what was the moment?
Speaker 4 (08:55):
And your worltiest championship is number one? I can't Yeah,
you can never take that away. It's it's if the
top of the list and this will be very close
to it.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
And I know because I've got that scorecard on my
wall at home on that much of a cricket Nuffy
or see your name looking at me every time I
walk into the hallway, Neil Wagner, Thanks so much for
everything you provided New Zealand cricket fans over the years
and for being such a good bugger when it comes
to taking interviews Wags. You have wonderful cent of retirement.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
See you mate, Thank you mate, appreciate it. Thank you
very much.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk zed B seven.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Fifty one sports Talk on news Talk z B. Away
from the Sailing. Let's go now to Neil Wagner. I
can say it because I believe it. One of New
Zealand's fast bowling greats retired from first class cricket today
in New Zealand. For his team Northern Districts. They went
to Otago, it's Neil's old team and picked up the
(00:34):
blanket Shield.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Oh so well done. Good evening, Neil, Good evening mate.
How a you going?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'm not as good as you. What a way to
finish a splendid New Zealand career the blanket Shield the
first time is Northern's done it and I don't know
how long, and you do it in your home away
from home, Otaga. You can't write scripts like this Neil Man.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Now it's very special.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
It's as amazing how it's gone gone through his full circle.
I guess obviously from starting my career year for Tigo
against Sandia and they played for India against Target in
the Oval and to you know, obviously play for Plunket
Shield and to be able to win it as yeah,
as as good as it gets made. It's an absolute
fairy tire ending can't ask me any better, and nice
(01:19):
to be unable to contribute and play.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Roll, I guess.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Dare I say it, you would have the same energy
and controlled aggression going into that game as you went
into your first Plunket Shield match, even if it was
Was it even called the Plunket Shield back then, Neil, No,
it was.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Stage shield my first year, I think.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
And it's sort of quite confusing because I think some
of his stats and things are staying as I guess
stage shield, and once it went to Plunket Shield, I
think it sort of changed after that.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
So a little bit confusing, I guess, and that SEMs.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
But it's nice that it's again, you know, the Plunket
Shield the way it should be and the history and
I think everything evolved of it. It's it's very special.
I think when you when you got to give us
a group start of season, it's the first trophy I
guess that you sort of took on the list of
you trying to aim and wanting to achieve and accomplish
and just bloody proud and glaire that we've been managing
and be able to do it.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
I said, you'd bring the same energy to the start
of that fixture as you did way back in the day.
And I think that's one of the hallmarks of your career, Neil.
It doesn't matter what is going on, you are going
full noise, one hundred and ten percent. You won't stop. Relentless.
As a phrase we could use for your career, nothing's
changed since the first time I interviewed. I don't know
(02:31):
how long ago to right here right now. You've maintained
that enthusiasm and that focused aggression. How do you do that?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
As the will and the ones mate?
Speaker 4 (02:41):
I guess, the I guess might never matter in a
big way. Yeah, I'm pitty nine years old and getting
in the older sort of side.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
But you want to want to achieve things?
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Do you want to do things the love of the game,
I guess and being around it and still wanting to
achieve things. I guess as the motivation and the drive,
the people around you and all those sort of things.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Are to it. So yeah, yeah, it was a body
pleasing way to do it.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
I knew I was going to enter the tank, I
guess in these last two games and give it absolutely
everything to try and try and do that and achieve
it and just body glad I've got that opportunity to
do it.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
So you picked up what a fifer in the second
innings she managed to smash yourself some runs as well.
There reasonably our quick time kind of set up for you.
You'll mate, jeet ravel and get in there and.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Have a swing.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
You Minles enjoy the end of this all.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Yeah, between him and be J's quite nice. It's funny
I started my first last career. I think it's as
an eye watchman up for your order. Everybody thought I
was a you know, top all a bed when they
pot the scorecard and to fit you know, you know nicely,
I guess at the top of the order.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Again.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
It's quite nice to finish it that way, is It
was quite nice for them to say, hey, strapping mind
mate and going to have a bit of a dip
in a crack.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Very pleasing. So just nice to contrib made.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
That's one thing I've always wanted to do since I've
set foot on the cricket fields. Find ways of winning
games and playing a role and putting your hand up
and times and it gets stuff and something I've always
done and bloody glad I you know, go that same
sort of way, and a few people I just remember
you for what you've done in the way you play
the game.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
It's not only your results, the speed with which have
collected to test wickets. It's the out and out aggression
that you've shown, but the ability to stay in the
same space as well as your famous bounces are concerned.
When did you come up with the idea that, you
know what, I'm going to just start attacking their heads
and throats of batsmen in a consistent basis. Did you
(04:37):
actually formulate that plan? What happened by accident? Where did
the famous Wagner delivery come from?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
I think it's well documented in my book, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And the name of your book is the perfect chance
to tell everybody.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Yeah, well out obviously, but I think, yeah, I think
it's well documented that, you know, a bouncer has always
been something that has.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Been in my armory and a bit of a weapon
for me and.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
That I've done well with and has got me wickets.
I swung the ball early just in my career. The
time I got the ball when someone Trent you know
sort of you know, didn't swing it as much anymore.
There was no point in me trying to swing it,
I guess.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
In a way, And yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
It took me a while to work out that I
wasn't as effective you know when the ball didn't swing,
So I had to find different methods in different ways.
And growing up and at Tiger and you knowble and
the work was pretty do soil and didn't offer much.
That became a weapon and something I started, you know,
leaning towards which created the I guess a test career
and and the way I played my game and yeah,
(05:36):
fitting way that you know, I sort of did it
again this week and and and went with those sort
of things that used to be a strengths and yeah,
quite a nice way to keep going of it. But yeah,
finding ways and different methods and different I guess styles.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
When when things don't really unfold.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
The early way was something I tried to always, you know,
I guess a gap to and I guess when I
moved over here.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I always that big admiration that you know, Kiwi teams,
you know.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
The thing you run the wall complimented about was finding
ways of you know, being successful with other teams couldn't
do it being street smart and street wise, and that's
something I try to try to argue implement of my game.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I've got a question for you after some conversations in
the office. You remember the infamous as Pertell team wicket bag.
How could you not they didn't want to bowl you
during that series because of course the angle you bowl
from mean there'll be huge footmarks everywhere for the spinners
to bowl out of. If they had have thrown you
the ball, would you have bowled the entire game around
(06:39):
the wicket?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Ah? But I'll do what ether the team needs. For me.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
That's always what I've done, and the person I am
is you know, it's the team first.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
For me.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
It's not about the individual and what they need. If
they come down and say, hey, we want you.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
To do this, I'll do it.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
So whatever case in scenario results, it's it's not up
to you. It's a team sport and ultimately there's some
bigger pictures around it and people I guess that make
this the cause you got respected. So whatever gets thrown
my way, I just taken the go over and say yes,
please help me do what you needed.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
And it's not the end of the career. It is
back here in New Zealand, but you're off over to
England to play some county cricket. As you said at
the ripe old age of thirty nine, just keeps getting better,
doesn't it. Waggs.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Yeah, I feel like I've got some unfinished business. I've
broken my shoulder last year Durham and didn't finish my season.
Me and been and talks to them sort of ever since,
and quite nice that you know, they give them the
opportunity to go back.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
There and try. And now I guess push my case
to you last.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I guess last pushy, I'll probably my chance, we'll finish
my career will be nice sort of fitting way. I'll
make a call and there and see how things unfold.
But you try and go into the tank for a
team that you know, I got close to my heart
pretty quickly, some really good people and make some really
good friendships over there, and I want to go try
and play a part.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Over me and one last thing. And I'm sure you
get a hundred of these questions throughout the next few days.
Any regrets around your time. I'm at the top of
the New Zealand bowling tree.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
No regrets made. I think the beauty of this game,
you're going to have things that's always challenging. You would
have loved to have played wideball cricket from the Zealand
and it just never happened, And that's just the way
the cookie crumble, I guess in a way, it's it's
something that I wanted to always do or achieve and
I wasn't able to And that's just the way I guess.
You know, life goes, and yeah, you sometimes in a phrase,
(08:33):
your limbs you got to squeeze and find find different ways.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
And that's what I'm trying to do.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
So I wouldn't say in regrets made, I've sort of
learned along the way and still learning till today and
trying to have that mindset of you being open to
adapting and learning and being able to achieve greater things.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
From regrets to the greatest moment? Is there one? And
then we'll leave you alone after this, mate, I know
you're busy, but what was the moment?
Speaker 4 (08:55):
And your worltiest championship is number one? I can't Yeah,
you can never take that away. It's it's if the
top of the list and this will be very close
to it.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
And I know because I've got that scorecard on my
wall at home on that much of a cricket Nuffy
or see your name looking at me every time I
walk into the hallway, Neil Wagner, Thanks so much for
everything you provided New Zealand cricket fans over the years
and for being such a good bugger when it comes
to taking interviews Wags. You have wonderful cent of retirement.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
See you mate, Thank you mate, appreciate it. Thank you
very much.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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