Cricket: Black Cap Neil Wagner received a ‘pain’ challenge after being cleared to play

Kane Williamson could be feeling a little more comfortable this morning after one of his top leaders received clearance from the doctor to play.

Comfort is a word Neil Wagner might not use so quickly.

The left arm pacemaker received a vicious flush from Shaheen Shah Afridi yorker on his foot while hitting yesterday and had immediate problems. He survived the leg before the scream and the subsequent revision, but required urgent attention from the team’s physical therapist.

He didn’t immediately hit the field with his team when Pakistan hit while testing his foot and returned to bowling with three tight overs.

He went to get a scan last night.

“An X-ray has confirmed an undisplaced fracture in Neil Wagner’s right fourth toe,” a team statement confirmed. “A doctor has allowed him to play, as long as he can tolerate the pain.”

Those last six words sound like a challenge. It’s hard to imagine the intense South African-born Wagner wanting to give in to something as seemingly trivial as a big toe.

He will have to “pass” a final warm-up this morning before a final call is made.

With the ball not rocking as it did in previous seasons against the West Indies, and the playing field is not as lively, Wagner’s relentless hostility will be a major factor as the test progresses.