New Zealand received’t deal with England Tests as warm-ups for WTC ultimate: Neil Wagner

New Zealand quick bowler Neil Wagner on Monday stated his crew isn’t going to deal with the upcoming two-match sequence in opposition to England as warm-ups for the World Test Championship (WTC) ultimate versus India.
India and New Zealand will lock horns for the inaugural WTC title, at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl, from June 18-22, 4 days after the Test sequence in opposition to hosts England is scheduled to conclude.
“We’re not going to treat these two Test matches against England just as warm-ups (for the WTC final),” Wagner instructed reporters on the Auckland airport earlier than his departure.
“I know for a fact we’re going to get out there and pride ourselves the way we’ve been playing Test cricket and we want to win Test matches for New Zealand,” he added.
A majority of the New Zealand Test gamers arrived right here on Monday for the two-match sequence in opposition to England and the WTC ultimate in opposition to India, however Wagner was a part of the second batch of cricketers to depart for his or her UK tour.
Wagner, ranked quantity three on this planet amongst Test bowlers, educated with the Dukes ball in Lincoln earlier than departing for England. Dukes ball is used for Test matches in England.
He stated he benefited from the camp.
“It’s been quite nice, it’s obviously got different characteristics to the Kookaburra,” Wagner stated.
“The manner we’ve been coaching for the final whereas is one thing we didn’t all the time have prior to now, having the amenities and having a marquee up and getting numerous coaching classes in earlier than going to England.
“On tours in the past you rock up there and you’ve only got a couple of training sessions and maybe one head out with the Dukes ball before the first Test and with that you can find yourself a little bit behind.”
He added, “Having had those little bit of trainings leading into it has been quite beneficial, just because it’s a little bit different, and obviously adapting to it. It’s been really good preparation and everybody is excited bowling with it.”
This might be Wagner’s third journey to England as a part of the New Zealand squad, though he performed there solely in the course of the 2013 Test sequence, in addition to enjoying within the County Championship for Lancashire.
“Sometimes you have to control all that because there’s a high expectation of the ball doing a lot and moving around but sometimes you can get there and it can be quite flat and slow as well,” Wagner stated.
“The nice thing about it is we’ve got a wealth of experience and the guys have been there before so we can feed off each other and bounce ideas off each other as well,” he added.