As England prepare to return to Wellington’s Basin Reserve for the first time since their unforgettable one-run defeat in 2022, former New Zealand seamer New Zealand seamer Neil Wagner has relived his decisive role in one of the most remarkable finishes in Test history.
This week’s second Test takes place almost three years on from an all-time classic in the capital, where England became just the fourth side to lose a match after asking their opponents to follow-on as the Black Caps secured only the second single-run victory.
Wagner was the one to settle things amid nerve-shredding tension, having number 11 James Anderson caught behind with England on the cusp of squeezing their way to a target of 258.
Moments earlier, Anderson had crashed the left-armer for a boundary and looked set to score the winning runs for the only time in a storied career spanning 188 caps.
Instead the glory belonged to Wagner, who got away with what looked to be a wide that would have tied the scores immediately before having Anderson caught down leg.
Recalling the experience, he told the PA news agency: “It was an unbelievably special day. A hell of an end to a hell of a Test match.
“You always want to be the one in the middle, putting your hand up to create moments like that, and I was incredibly happy to be the one with the ball in my hand. The worst place to be is standing in the field where you can’t control things.”
He continued: “The whole thing was a see-saw of emotions. When Jimmy hit me for four – through the legs of Kane Williamson of all people – I just looked at him and said ‘Jeez’.
“I think that shot amazed everyone, it came out of the blue because we didn’t think he had it in him.
“Tim Southee bowled a maiden at the other end and I knew it was do it now or lose the game. I felt under pressure standing at the top of my mark. To get him was the best feeling ever, 100 per cent. It was quite amazing.”
Wagner is well aware there is an alternate version of events where umpires Rod Tucker and Chris Gaffaney decided the previous ball is too high or too far down leg and signal for the extra that would have tied the scores.
In the end, though, he believes the close escape nudged him to bowl the perfect length to draw the mistake from Anderson.
“It was really close to a wide, the closest of calls,” he said.
“I guess you could say I got on the lucky side of that one, but looking over the whole Test they were consistent with their calls and it wasn’t much different a few others that went down.
“But I knew the next one had to be lower or they would definitely call wide, I had to bring the catchers into play and luckily it went to the safest hands on the field, Tom Blundell.”
If both men had their way, 42-year-old Anderson and 38-year-old Wagner would be setting up for a rematch this week.
Instead, both found themselves steered towards the exit door earlier this year to make way for younger legs.
Anderson is still on hand as England’s bowling coach, while Wagner continues his first-class career with Northern Districts.
“I would have loved to play more. I wanted to empty the tank,” he said.
“Jimmy probably has those same fighting characteristics as me, that’s what makes you push and push for more, but we both got that tap on the shoulder. Not everyone gets to write their own script in professional sport and you’re lucky if you go out on your own terms.
“So now it’s over to the new guys and I’ve got full faith in them to step up if they find themselves in the kind of situation I did in Wellington.”
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