After a successful comeback to international action at Headingley, England’s fast bowler Mark Wood has promised to unleash more “thunderbolts” on Australia in the upcoming fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford.
Durham express fast Wood returned match statistics of 7-100, earning him player of the match honors and a trip to the trophy presentation in Leeds.
With England behind 2-1 in the series with two to play, his 40 runs off only 16 balls faced were crucial in their victory.
During the tourists’ victories at Edgbaston and Lord’s, his increased speed brought a new dimension to England’s attack and rattled some Australian batsmen who had never seen anything like it before.
At one point during his Headingley exploits, Wood was clocked at 96.5 mph. The pacer said that England captain and Durham team-mate Ben Stokes had given him only one instruction before his first spell in Test cricket since the December tour of Pakistan.
Ben now queried, “Are you ready?” Is it time to unleash some thunderbolts? Wood told reporters, “I just said yes and that was that.”
“He was prepared to set me free. We have a strong mutual familiarity. Having that connection with another person helps.
If asked if he was prepared to do it again in Manchester next week, Wood grinned and said, “Absolutely. Lightning strikes twice, eh?”
Wood is one of England’s fastest bowlers, but the job’s physical demands have led to a number of ailments, most notably to his ankles.
Since making his debut in 2015, Wood has only played in 29 of a possible 109 Tests due to fitness issues. Even though there is just a three-day break between the fourth and fifth games of the series, Wood is certain he will be able to play in all of them.
“I did four (Tests) in Australia the last time, and three of them were in a row,” he remarked.
It’s a tall order, but I’ve filled it before, so I’ll use what I learned then to see if I can accomplish it again.
This was my first game in a very long time, and my first Test cricket match in even longer. I plan to rest, get my head straight, mend any injuries, and then go back into the fight.
‘Challenging’
Meanwhile, Wood was pleased with his performance in Leeds against Australia, the world’s No. 1 Test team.
His confidence in his ability to do well against Australia was evident in his statement.
They are a very good team, so it makes things difficult. It’s up there with the best emotions I’ve ever felt.
Take on the likes of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, for example. As a first point, it’s not a piece of cake. Secondly, it’s quite scary.
They bowl quickly, their balls have good bounce, and they consistently win. It’s the one out of a hundred that I’ve actually made it through!
Wood continued, “The 2005 Ashes (which England won 2-1) was the absolute top for me — I was at a terrific age, a teenager, and my hometown hero was playing (fellow fast bowler Steve Harmison).
It’s fantastic to have the support, which has been incredible everywhere we’ve gone, but I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. It’s palpable when you stroll the streets and receive messages from strangers.
“It’s incredible that, as a nation, we’re able to bear the burden of such unwavering support.”