New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner retires from test cricket at 37
Wellington (New Zealand), Feb 27: The hard-working and durable New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner has announced his retirement from test cricket at 37.
South Africa-born Wagner played 64 tests for New Zealand and will finish fifth on New Zealand's list of all-time test wicket-takers with 260 at an average of 37.
The left-armer likely was not going to be included in New Zealand's lineup for the first test against Australia, starting at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Thursday and decided to retire from the five-day game.
Wagner made his test debut in 2012 and was a key figure in one of New Zealand's most successful eras, helping the team win the inaugural World Test Championship in 2022. He moved from South Africa to New Zealand in 2008 and quickly established himself in first-class cricket with Otago province.
In recent years Wagner pursued a sort of leg theory of continual short-pitched bowling which was contentious among some fans but invariably produced results. New Zealand won 34 of the 64 tests in which he played.
His strike rate of 52 is bettered only by Richard Hadlee among New Zealand bowlers who have taken more than 100 wickets.
One of Wagner's most notable performances was in bowling New Zealand to a one-run win over England after following on at the Basin Reserve last year. Wagner took 4-62 including the final wicket of James Anderson which fell with England one run short of a winning total.
"It's been an emotional week," Wagner said Tuesday. "It's not easy to step away from something you've given so much to and got so much out of, but it's now time for others to step up and take this team forward. I've enjoyed every single moment of playing test cricket for the Black Caps and am proud of everything we've been able to achieve as a team."
Wagner played under several New Zealand captains who all knew they could throw the ball to him when in need of a breakthrough or simply of someone to bowl for long periods.
"Neil's numbers are phenomenal but I don't think we can underestimate his contributions to the team when the chips were down and he found a way to create a wicket," New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. "His accuracy, execution and tenacity has been instrumental in many of our great test victories and he will always be remembered for his lion-hearted nature.
"Neil gave absolutely everything and we are certainly going to miss his energy and never give in' attitude."
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Jharkhand horror: Man kills live-in partner, chops body into 40 pieces
Ranchi (PTI): A 25-year-old man, who works as a butcher, allegedly strangled to death his live-in partner and chopped her body into 40 to 50 pieces in a forested area in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Naresh Bhengra, was arrested.
The matter came to light after around a fortnight after the killing when a stray dog was found with human body parts near Jordag village in Jariagarh police station on November 24.
Bhengra was in a live-in relationship with the deceased, a 24-year-old woman also from Khunti district, in Tamil Nadu for the past couple of years. Sometime back, he returned to Jharkhand, got married to another woman without telling his partner anything and went back to the southern state without his wife to join her.
"The brutal incident occurred on November 8 when they reached Khunti as the accused who had married another woman did not wish to take her home. Instead, he took her to a forest near his house at Jordag village in Jariagarh police station and chopped the body into pieces. The man has been arrested," Khunti Superintendent of Police Aman Kumar told PTI.
Inspector Ashok Singh who investigated the case said the man worked in a butcher shop in Tamil Nadu and was expert in slicing chicken.
“He admitted chopping the body parts of the woman into 40 to 50 pieces before leaving those in the forest for wild animals to feast on. The police recovered several parts on November 24 after a dog in the area was seen with a hand," Singh told PTI.
Singh said that the woman, who was unaware of his marriage, pressured him to return to Khunti. After reaching Ranchi, they boarded a train on November 24 and headed to the man's village.
"Under a plan, the man took her to Khunti in an autorickshaw near his home and asked her to wait. He returned with sharp weapons and strangulated her with her dupatta after raping her. He then cut the body into 40 to 50 pieces and left for his home to live with his wife," Singh said.
The woman, however, had informed her mother that she had boarded a train and would be living with her partner, the police officer said.
Following the recovery of body parts, a bag was also found in the forest with the murdered woman's belongings including her Aadhaar card. The mother of the woman was called at the spot and she identified her daughter's belongings.
"The mother suspected the man behind the crime who after being nabbed by the police admitted to chopping the woman into pieces," the official added.
The incident has sent shockwaves among people in the region, with the Shraddha Walker murder case of 2022 still fresh in their memory.
Walker was killed by her live-in partner who chopped her body into pieces before dumping them in the jungle in South Delhi’s Mehrauli.
