Neil Wagner helps Kiwis beat Derbyshire

(BBC) Left-arm seamer Neil Wagner pressed his claims for a Test place by taking 5-45 as New Zealand cruised to a 107-run win over Derbyshire on the final day of their tour match at Derby.
Declaring on their overnight total of 199-5, the Kiwis set Derbyshire 335 to win, and bowled them out for 227.

Chesney Hughes
Chesney Hughes

Doug Bracewell, Wagner’s likely rival for the Test side, took 3-56.

Dan Redfern led Derbyshire’s resistance with 58, but the county side finally succumbed soon after tea.

With the Kiwis resting their new-ball pairing of Trent Boult and Tim Southee for this game, Wagner and Bracewell are both in contention for the third seamer’s spot when the first Test begins at Lord’s on 16 May.

Bracewell’s foot injury handed Wagner the chance to play in all three Tests against England down under, and the pair had both impressed in the first innings at Derby as right-armer Bracewell took 4-28 opening the bowling, and Wagner grabbed 3-33.

This time around, Wagner returned the more impressive analysis but was also involved in an angry exchange early in the day, soon after he had opener Chesney Hughes caught behind.

Wagner threw the ball towards the other opener Billy Godleman, trying to throw down the stumps, and hit the batsman, knocking the bat out of his hand.

The bowler, who raised a hand in apology, and stand-in captain Kane Williamson were both spoken to by umpire Nigel Cowley, but Wagner trapped Godleman lbw for 25 in his next over.

Wes Durston made a confident 26 before edging Bracewell to second slip just after lunch, and though Redfern reached his half century off 50 balls with three successive fours off Mark Gillespie, he became the fourth of Wagner’s five victims when he was caught by keeper BJ Watling.

Peter Burgoyne hit 30, while last man Mark Footitt made 22 in a last-wicket stand of 28 before he fell to spinner Bruce Martin as the tourists wrapped up a comfortable win.

New Zealand now face the second-string England Lions side – captained by Joe Root who is likely to play in the Test series – in a four-day match at Leicester, starting on Thursday.