Neil Wagner spends the last four months of the 2025 season in Durham.

The former New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner will make his Durham comeback for the season’s last four months. On June 22, he will make his debut against Sussex at home in the County Championship.

From 2012 until his international retirement in February 2024, Neil Wagner, 39, amassed 260 wickets in 64 Test matches for New Zealand, receiving praise for his unstoppable left-arm attack. Last week, he declared his domestic retirement from New Zealand cricket, but he stated that he still intended to play county cricket.

Last season, he made a single Championship appearance for Durham against Nottinghamshire, taking four wickets in the first innings to help the team win. However, he only played in three further List A matches before an injury ended his brief stay.

In more than 200 first-class outings, Neil Wagner has taken 841 first-class wickets overall. His return will help Durham’s fast-bowling reserves, which will be severely impacted this summer by Brydon Carse’s probable inclusion in England’s Test schedule.

“I am extremely excited to join Durham again!” “Neil Wagner said.” “I felt like I had some unresolved business with wanting to contribute and play a role for a great club, but I liked and relished my brief time there last season, which was regrettably cut short by injury.

“I met some awesome people during my last time in Durham and can’t wait to join up with the lads again and play some exciting cricket.”

Neil Wagner has played for Northampton, Lancashire, Essex, and Somerset before moving on to Durham.

“We are thrilled that Neil will be returning to Durham this season for a significant portion of the summer,” stated Marcus North, director of cricket.

“It was an obvious choice for Neil Wagner to return when the chance arose since we seen how much of an impact he had in the changing room during his brief tenure with us the previous season.

“His left arm pace complements our bowling attack immensely and his record speaks for itself with over 800 first-class wickets to his name, we are really pleased to welcome him back in June and see him play a key role in our County Championship success” .