Shining Knight
CHRIS WOAKES is hoping to bounce back from England’s Ashes embarrassment in the two-Test series against New Zealand.
The all-rounder was named man of the series in the 3-2 ODI win over the Black Caps.
Now he is hoping to take that white-ball form into the Tests with England playing two warm-ups in Hamilton this week ahead of the day-night series opener in Auckland on Thursday week.
Woakes, who took 10 wickets at 50 as Joe Root’s men were hammered 4-0 in Australia, said: “The change in format is always a test but I’m looking forward to it.
“We’d have liked to have gone better in the Ashes but we will try to take whatever positives we can out of that series and put them right.
“We saw in this series New Zealand are a very good side, especially in home conditions. They will be tough to beat.
“We are going into a pink-ball Test which we all haven’t played that much of. It’s not a step into the unknown but things are happening that you don’t expect. I’m excited, I’m sure it will be a great series.
“It’s only two matches – do you go all-out attack and try to win the first game and make sure you can’t lose the series, or play it as it comes? It’s an exciting series ahead.”
Woakes, who responded after his tough Ashes series with 10 wickets at 20 in the ODIs against New Zealand, said: “Generally the basics carry over from format to format.
“I feel I’m bowling pretty well and that will help me swap formats. As a modern player you should be used to jumping formats, there shouldn’t be too many excuses.
“We will have some practice sessions, there’s some warmups. It’s pretty similar for a bowler – as a batsman you might have to put a few shots away, but as a bowler I’m in
SPORT IN BRIEF
MILLIE Knight could not begin to fathom what one Paralympic silver medal would mean to her – and now she has to contemplate the feeling of two.
A downhill podium from day one in PyeongChang was already beyond the grasp of Knight, 19, but along with guide Brett Wild, they did it again in the visually impaired super-G.
“I can’t believe this has happened again,” she said. “It’s amazing, I was actually more nervous in the start gate today than I was yesterday. To get that result is absolutely fantastic.”
Menna Fitzpatrick and her guide Jennifer Kehoe also claimed a bronze for Britain in the same super-G contest.
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