Left-arm seamer Neil Wagner will miss a minimum of five Specsavers County Championship matches for Lancashire after he was named in New Zealand's Test squad for the summer.
Wagner is the joint-leading wicket-taker in Division One alongside teammate Kyle Jarvis with 28 scalps at an average of 23.04, with the Kiwi paceman taking 11 wickets on his debut for the Red Rose county against Nottinghamshire in April.
However, the overseas signing has been named in New Zealand's Test side for their upcoming series against Zimbabwe and South Africa. Wagner will join his compatriots on July 11 for the first series, which will mean Wagner's final four-day appearance would be against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, subject to availability.
Wagner could then be available for the final two first-class matches of the season against Middlesex and Warwickshire, with the series against South Africa finishing at the end of August. Ashley Giles' side are top of the County Championship after six matches, despite suffering two defeats against Durham Yorkshire in that time, with Wagner's attacking bowling style playing a big part in Lancashire's success.
Countryman Martin Guptill has made a similarly strong impression in his short time at Old Trafford, scoring half-centuries on his Twenty20 and 50-over debuts, but he is currently sidelined by a shoulder injury. Guptill's last appearance for Lancashire is due to be the One-Day Cup match against Northamptonshire Steelbacks on June 16, but his injury might mean that he has already made his last contribution in a Lancashire shirt this season.
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