3 months ago
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Perth: England’s Ashes chances have received a major boost by the sight of speedster Mark Wood charging in at training in Perth following his hamstring scare.
After missing the whole English season with a knee problem, Wood complained of hamstring stiffness during the tourists’ sole Ashes warm-up game at Lilac Hill and was sent for scans.
His fitness status was up in the air at the same time Josh Hazlewood was withdrawn from Australia’s squad for Perth with a hamstring strain of his own.
Mark Wood in Perth ahead of the Ashes opener.Credit: Getty Images
But Wood’s return to the bowling crease was a source of smiles and happily raised eyebrows for the England squad in their first of three training sessions at Perth Stadium ahead of the opening Test on Friday.
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Even if Wood is not chosen in the team for the first Test, his ability to bounce back quickly from the hamstring scare means he is still on track to play a significant role in the series, having been England’s outstanding pace bowler in each of their past two Ashes campaigns.
Wood put young England batter Jacob Bethel and an assortment of other squad players through their paces in a spell of six overs in around 30 minutes.
With England’s bowling coach David Saker speaking to him at the back of the nets between deliveries, Wood wore a compression sleeve on his left leg, the source of a knee injury this year and the hamstring scare last week.
After a jog and then a handful of warm-up deliveries, Wood bowled off his full run, beating the bat once or twice, and forcing Bethel to take rapid evasive action with the occasional short ball.
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Later in Wood’s training stint, England skipper Ben Stokes stepped into the umpire’s position to watch his spearhead closely, at one stage theatrically signalling dead ball when Wood aborted one run to the crease.
England head coach Brendon McCullum stroked his goatee while having a chat with team director Rob Key as they both watched Wood steam in. Key later went to speak to Saker.
A Bluetooth speaker blared tracks by U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Green Day in the background – Wood’s fitness to take the field this series will be a major factor in whether the 2025–26 Ashes are a hit or a flop for Stokes’ team.
Later, Stokes took his own turn in the nets and was hit in the midriff by a ball from left-armer Josh Hull. On his knees in pain for a few moments, Stokes waved away medical attention before resuming his practice with a grimace.
Jofra Archer, England’s other fast bowling thoroughbred, did not bowl on Tuesday but is expected to do so at the squad’s main session on Wednesday.
More to come
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