Wagner called in as cover for injured Southee

Neil Wagner has been called into New Zealand's Test squad as cover for Tim Southee, who left the field with a back injury on the second morning at the Gabba. Wagner will join the group ahead of the second Test, which starts in Perth next Friday, although New Zealand have not given up hope of Southee being passed fit for that match.

At the end of the day, batting coach Craig McMillan said: "It was a blow with Tim today. He has got some stiffness in the back. That's something that will be monitored overnight. We'll see how he wakes up tomorrow. In terms of answering about further in the series I can't at this stage. We'll see how he scrubs up over the next couple of days in terms of his availability to bowl."

Southee had scans on his back overnight but took the field on day two and bowled the first over of the morning. He continued on and bowled a four-over spell and later returned for a second spell, but in his first over pulled up once during his run-up and then left the field after the last ball of the over. New Zealand confirmed the problem was an irritated lower disc in Southee's back.

The loss of Southee hurt New Zealand as Australia's batsmen continued to make merry on the second day in Brisbane, and moved on to 4 for 556 before Steven Smith declared. When Southee left the field he had bowled 24 overs in the innings and had 1 for 70, having been the best of the bowlers on a tough day one.

Southee got the new ball to swing early on the first morning but was unlucky not to find a couple of outside edges, and his only wicket came in the 39th over when Joe Burns edged behind. His new-ball partner Trent Boult struggled to find his line on the first day but put in an improved performance on the second morning, and bowled Smith with an inswinger.

However, the concern for captain Brendon McCullum was the lack of penetration from the remainder of the attack, with Doug Bracewell failing to build pressure and the offspinner Mark Craig leaking runs at an alarming rate. Southee's economy rate in the innings was 2.91 - the only New Zealander giving up less than four an over at the time when he left the field.