Reborn Woakes strains at leash
CHRIS WOAKES is ready to rattle Australia in next week’s opening Ashes Test in Brisbane following a six-wicket haul on the opening day of England’s final warm-up match.
Woakes spent much of last summer injured with a side strain but he looked back to his best as he ran through a Cricket Australia XI here in Townsville.
The all-rounder’s 6-54, including a spell of 4-12 in 22 balls either side of lunch, followed his six wickets in last week’s day-night match against the same opposition in Adelaide.
It bodes well for an Ashes series during which it is hoped Woakes can back up James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
Australia will fear England’s opening bowlers, who share 894 Test wickets between them. But in Woakes the tourists have another man who looks ready to make a big impression after finding a way to make the Kookaburra ball used in Australia talk.
Much of that is down to the influence of Shane Bond, the New Zealander who is preparing England’s pace bowlers for the Ashes.
Bond, who played 120 times across all formats for his country, is working with England until the end of the second Ashes Test in Adelaide. And he believes Woakes and the rest of the attack have what it takes to win in Australia. “Chris has been around the circuit for a while, so I have an understanding of how he bowls and goes about his work,” said Bond.
“He’s going really well at the moment, he’s fully back to fitness and bowling well.
“There is not going to be massive amounts of swing and the pitches won’t do the work for you, so you have to find different ways to skin a cat and the fields might look different.
“I can’t wait for the first Test match and I’m excited about our prospects.
“Everyone wants to beat Australia. It doesn’t matter who you are – you want to be on the side versus Australia. I want to beat these guys, there’s no doubt about that.”
Woakes, the pick of England’s bowlers on a day that saw the hosts restricted to 249-9, said: “I’m pleased to pick up six wickets and a week away from the first Test it’s good to hit some form.
“Whenever you’re left out of a Test team, you’re always dying to get back in it and prove your worth.
“I’m pleased with where my body is at, and getting overs in the legs is important. You don’t want to go in undercooked and I’m happy with where I’m at.”
England suffered a scare shortly after lunch when Jonny Bairstow was forced off the field with a finger injury that was later found to be just bruising.
After an hour of treatment, the wicketkeeper was fine to come back on the field and is not a fitness doubt ahead of the Ashes.
“The fact he came back out and kept later in the day means that, fingers crossed, there’s nothing to worry about,” said Woakes.
Moeen Ali enjoyed his first run-out on this tour, the all-rounder bowling 16 wicketless overs on his return from a side strain.
There was a taste of things to come in Brisbane next week, though, as a boisterous Queensland crowd got stuck into England’s players.
It was the first real hostility for Joe Root’s team on this tour following warm-up matches played in nearempty grounds in Perth and Adelaide.
“You always expect a bit of heckling from the crowd,” said Woakes. “It’s just part and parcel of it and you have to deal with it. I’m sure it will go up a notch going into the Gabba.”
I’m pleased with where my body is at
THE SCOUT