New Zealand pondering ‘world’s shortest retirement’ after injuries, selections bite in first Test

New Zealand has not ruled out bringing paceman Neil Wagner out of retirement in a bid to salvage some pride after the Black Caps allowed Australia to retain the Trans-Tasman Trophy inside 10 sessions at the Basin Reserve.

Desperate New Zealand has not ruled out bringing paceman Neil Wagner out of retirement in a bid to salvage some pride after the Black Caps allowed Australia to retain the Trans-Tasman Trophy inside 10 sessions at the Basin Reserve.

Chasing an unlikely 369 to win the first Test, New Zealand folded meekly on Sunday in Wellington when it lost its last seven wickets for 70 as Nathan Lyon secured his fifth 10-wicket match haul in Tests to secure Australia a 172-run win.

The victory means the Aussies will hold the trophy for a 13th straight series and will have denied the Black Caps for 33 years by the time the silverware is next up for grabs in late 2026.

New Zealand failed to read what proved to be a bouncy and spin-friendly wicket.

The Kiwis picked four frontline seamers and did not hand the ball in the first innings to off-spinner Glenn Phillips, who ripped through Australia with 5-45 on day three.

While left-arm tweaker Mitchell Santner will come into consideration for the second Test at Hagley Oval, which begins on Friday, New Zealand skipper Tim Southee has also left the door ajar for Wagner to play barely more than a week after the paceman announced his Test retirement.

Nathan Lyon chats to New Zealand's Mitchell Santner, who was left out in the first Test. Picture: Marty Melville/AFP

The lion-hearted Wagner called time on his Test career before the series opener after being told he would not make the XI for the first Test.

He remained with the squad during the match, took to the field as a substitute and was feted by the Wellington crowd, but was due to be released from the squad before the second Test.

However, given that fellow quick Scott Kuggeleijn struggled to make an impact, and with Will O’Rourke is in doubt after experiencing hamstring tightness on day three, Southee was questioned as to whether Wagner could yet play a 65th Test.

Though the skipper did not talk up the idea, did he shout it down.

“He’s had great reception here over the last week,” Southee said after the loss on Sunday.

“Got a couple of moments on the field and he’s been a fan favourite for a long time.

“So we will see how Will scrubs up and we’ll go from there.

“We haven’t had a lot of discussions as yet. So we’ll see how Will scrubs up.

“Our physio hasn’t sort of put a time frame on it or how bad it is. So we’ll just wait and see how Will goes over the next couple of days.

“He will be monitored and there will be an update on him over the next 24 hours, I’d imagine.

“From there, we have to go on and make a decision on who comes in and what role we sort of see that playing out in Christchurch.”

Victorious Australian captain Pat Cummins chuckled at the idea of what he labelled would be the “world’s shortest retirement” but said there was merit in picking the left-armer, who is renowned for his relentless short-ball barrages and in particular the trouble he caused Steve Smith on Australian soil over the 2019-20 summer.

“I mean, why not?” Cummins said. “If he’s your next best bowler that you think is going to perform, then go for it. I’ve faced him before.

“It’d be good to see. He’s high energy. It’s been good fun chatting to him each morning out here, so see how he goes.”