Wagner's dream now a reality

The dream is a reality for South African-born Neil Wagner.

The left-arm fast bowler has been named in the Black Caps test squad for the tour of West Indies starting at the end of next month.

He says he's not upset to have missed the limited overs sides.

Wagner says he hasn't had the best season with the coloured clothing in domestic cricket.

Wagner says he can be the missing ingredient from Black Caps sides in the past and bowl menacing pace.

He says when he gets himself into it he'll try and run in as fast as he can and try and hit people.

Meanwhile Wellington all-rounder James Franklin has had no indications from Black Caps selectors on whether he'll be included in the Twenty20 World Cup squad.

Franklin has missed all three sides for the tour of West Indies, instead agreeing with New Zealand Cricket to play the shortest form of the game in English County cricket for Essex.

Speaking from the IPL in India, he says he's not sure whether he'll be involved in the tournament in Sri Lanka in September.

"There's still a little bit of water to go under the bridge in terms of them looking at players potentially in the Caribbean for those guys to push their case but I'd like to think I've got a little bit of experience in the game of Twenty20s."

He says National Selection Manager Kim Littlejohn told him he would only be playing two games if he went on tour.

"He came back and said I would have been part of the Twenty20 side but he couldn't commit to me being involved in the one day side so we sort of came to an agreement that it was probably better for me to go and play for Essex."

Photo: Neil Wagner playing for Otago (Photosport)