AFTER INSULT, INJURY
Wood worry for England after pacer hurts shoulder
London, Aug. 18: An England side reeling from a 151-run defeat by India, and already missing several fast bowlers, could be without Mark Wood for next week’s third Test after the express quick injured himself while fielding at Lord’s.
Wood landed heavily on his right shoulder while diving headlong into an advertising hoarding when saving a boundary on the fourth evening, but he still bowled at speeds in excess of 93 mph (150 kph) on Monday’s last day of the second Test.
There are doubts, however, over whether the Durham paceman, whose career has been blighted by injuries, will be fit to feature at Headingley, with England due to name their squad on Wednesday.
England are already without several seam bowlers in the injured Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes, while all-rounder Ben Stokes is unavailable due to a mental health break.
“The medics are working on him (Wood), we’ll find out more in the next couple of days,” England coach Chris Silverwood said.
“We will make a decision, along with him and our medics, closer to the time. But if he’s not right, he’s not right. I certainly won’t push him into playing if he tells me he’s not right. I will look after him,” he added.
But for all Silverwood lauded Wood’s “superb effort”, many felt he should have taken greater care in the field.
“It was madness,” said former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott in his column for Britain’s Daily Telegraph.
“Modern-day cricketers all dive athletically to save runs and the effort is commendable, but it is not worth the risk of injury to a leading bowler,” he added.
“Bouncer after bouncer was crazy,” said Boycott. “Emotion got the better of England and common sense went out the window,” he added.
Joe Root blamed himself for his side’s tactics, but Silverwood said: “It’s a collective and I’m part of that as well.
Meanwhile, England recalled Dawid Malan on Wednesday and dropped opener Dom Sibley from their squad as they looked to bolster their faltering top order for third Test against India. —