Injured Devon Conway to miss first Test against Australia

New Zealand will miss the services of opener Devon Conway in the first Test against Australia starting on February 29 in Wellington. The left-hander is yet to heal from an injury to his left thumb sustained during the recently-concluded T20I series against Australia. The team management have called up Henry Nicholls into the squad as replacement but Will Young will most probably take up the spot vacated by Conway at the top of the order.

Meanwhile, the indefatigable New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing down the curtains on a 12-year-old Test career during which he earned 64 Test caps and won the inaugural World Test Championship.

Wagner, 37, made the decision after it was brought to his knowledge that he would not be part of the XI in the Test series against Australia starting in Wellington on February 29. He will be released from the squad before the second Test in Christchurch, meaning he bids adieu to the international game with 260 Test wickets – fifth on New Zealand’s all-time charts – at a strike-rate of 52.7 that is next best only to the legendary Sir Richard Hadlee among New Zealanders with 100 Test wickets or more.