England are preparing for what promises to be a thrilling Ashes series. As the caveats come thick and fast, ace quick Mark Wood is a casualty, almost certainly ruled out of the series opener. There was an injury scare for Wood during a three-day fixture against the Australia ’A’ side, at Lilac Hill. He officially retired from the field just before tea on Thursday.
Wood’s medical team is hopeful – though sources say the discomfort is in his left hamstring, it doesn’t seem serious. The 35-year-old cricketer will have precautionary scans to determine further steps. This incident brings further into focus the troubling continuation of Wood’s injury woes. He was just getting back to competitive form after knee surgery in March.
In his cameo appearance during the game, Wood ended up with figures of 0-29 from eight overs before leaving. He was simply trying to get through the game without injuring himself again. This is sure to raise the ire of the England coaching staff barely weeks out from their first Test against Australia, which is scheduled to begin on November 21.
“He has some stiffness in his hamstring, which has kept him off the field for some time during the second session of the first day and will undergo a precautionary scan tomorrow,” said a spokesperson from the England team.
In addition to Wood’s struggles, Jofra Archer faced challenges over the course of the match. He finished with paltry figures of 0-35 in ten overs. Archer’s repeated injury issues have continued to place him in a perilous spot as he has progressed to getting back up to peak physical condition.
On a more positive note for England, Ben Stokes showcased his abilities by snaring four wickets before tea, marking a successful return to bowling after injuring his shoulder in July. Less than 48 hours later, Stokes is back to bowl again. Yet, it is questionable whether he can make a full impact in the fourth Test starting tomorrow.
“It is unlikely he will return to the field today,” the England spokesperson added regarding Stokes’ immediate availability.
Assuming Wood and Archer are not fit, this presents some big problems for England’s bowling attack. They’re animated, they’re charging full throttle and they’re preparing for one of cricket’s most arduous series. The team will continue to make further evaluations of Wood’s condition while wishing a speedy recovery to all parties concerned.
