Wood to pull a fast one

MARK WOOD will today hope his impact will take him all the way to next summer’s World Cup.

England have made the most of a rain-affected tour to lead 3-0 heading into this final match in Colombo but Wood has been restricted to a watching brief in the ODI series.

There is no such thing as a dead rubber as far as he is concerned – because World Cup spots are looking rare.

Wood, 28, needs to remind the selectors what he can do and he is hoping his out-and-out pace can do just that.

The Durham star has long been touted as the bowler with a real point of difference in the England set-up if he can stay fit, but that has now changed with the emergence of Olly Stone.

There are as many as seven fast bowlers vying for a maximum of five places in the 15-man squad for next summer, with two of them already sewn up by Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett.

David Willey, Tom Curran and Sam Curran are the other contenders along with Stone and Wood.

“It has been frustrating because I’ve not played, but I’m going to get a go now so it’s a chance where I can push my case,” said Wood.

“I’m sure Morgie [England captain Eoin Morgan] is absolutely licking his lips at the fact that there are these lads charging in at training and everyone is trying to impress him.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have one eye on the World Cup and if I don’t do well here I am one tour away from not making that squad, so it just means I’ve got to do the business.”

The competition is fierce but the camaraderie remains strong and Wood says he has been supporting Stone throughout. “I’m definitely fully behind him,” he said.

Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath, the most successful left-arm spinner in Test history, is to retire after the first Test against England. The 40-yearold is 10th on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers with 430 scalps in 92 matches.

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AIMING TO IMPRESS: Mark Wood has an eye on the World Cup next summer