Neil Wagner suffers multiple head blows in Wellington Test

Wagner after being hit on the head 

 

What’s the story?

New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner got hit on his head three times in a space of 16 deliveries on the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh.

All three times it was Bangladesh pacer Kamrul Islam who hit him. Later he was examined by the medical staff. One of the blows resulted in the grille of the helmet hitting Wagner on the chin and he was cut, but the wound did not require any stitches.

"It's never nice to see a team-mate get hit," opener Tom Latham said."The medical team is out there and they were assessing him and we've got to leave it in their hands. He was fine and he's a pretty tough character, Neil," he added.

In case you did not know

Wagner was put under observation for 48 hours as initially, the medical team thought the pacer had suffered a concussion. But he did not show any signs of weakness as he came back to bowl and grabbed the wicket of rival batsman Mahmadullah.  

With the bat, Wagner scored 18 to help New Zealand get to 539. In the Bangladesh innings, their star batsman Imrul Kayes got injured while diving and had to be stretchered off the field of play. Wagner’s teammate Mitchell Santner too was hit on the helmet by a Taskin Ahmed delivery.

The heart of the matter

Blackcaps paceman Neil Wagner got hit on his head three times in a space of 16 deliveries on the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh. He was initially put under 48-hour observation but he came back to bowl and take the wicket of Mahmudullah.

Now, head injuries can be serious and therefore the medical team rushed to him whenever he was stuck on the head. And every time Wagner would shrug off the blow and get back to his crease. He contributed 18 runs to the New Zealand total.

What’s next?

Hopefully, for New Zealand, the effects of the blows would not deter Wagner from coming out all guns blazing tomorrow. He will be key to New Zealand’s chances in this Test match, and the upcoming matches.

Sportskeeda’s Take  

Knowing Wagner, he would come out with his tail up tomorrow and try and give the Bangladeshi batsman a dose of the same medicine. So Bangladesh should be ready to face a barrage of bouncers with the left-arm pacer bowling most of them.