95mph Wood puts wind up the Windies!
At last, England find some pace as 95mph Mark routs Windies with five-wicket haul
From the moment he steamed in for his first delivery, it was clear this would be no ordinary spell from mark Wood. By the time he bowled his fifth ball, clocked at 92 miles per hour and forcing Shai Hope to hurriedly steer to gully, it was already destined to be exceptional. The always wholehearted, often fragile and thoroughly likeable Wood lit up this third Test yesterday with what must surely be some of the fastest bowling delivered by an Englishman since speeds have been recorded. Possibly even longer than that.
He peaked at 95mph — yes, 95 — when he delivered what had become a hat-trick ball to Shimron Hetmyer and knocked the stuffing out of West Indies with four wickets after England’s batsmen had appeared to yet again throw away a promising position.
This was both exceptional and exciting from Wood to even eclipse the hulking figure of Shannon Gabriel, who had been the fastest bowler in a series where oldfashioned West Indian pace has been a deciding factor.
Who would have thought a truly fast England bowler would flourish in the Caribbean? It has been the missing link for the team not just here but in the Ashes last winter and throughout a domestic game that simply does not produce men of real pace.
How delighted England will be if Wood, whose injury problems have stopped him from fulfilling his potential, can stay fit, fill that huge void and consistently bowl with the pace and hostility he demonstrated here.
Wood, an important member of England’s white-ball squad, certainly took a big step towards a place in this summer’s Ashes yesterday. He has added eight or nine miles an hour to his bowling speed since last seen in Test cricket in defeat by Pakistan at Lord’s last summer.
It was in Dambulla during England’s one- day tour of Sri Lanka before Christmas that Wood had a heart-to-heart with coach Trevor Bayliss about a career that has promised more than it has delivered.
Bayliss told him in no uncertain terms that, with his lack of real seam or swing movement, he had to bowl fast if he was to play Test cricket again and Wood responded by impressing with the Lions against Pakistan A.
It was enough to earn the Durham man a call once olly Stone, the latest pretender to England’s fast bowling crown, had been forced to quit this tour with a back injury. But Wood has had to wait until this final Test to show he has heeded Bayliss’s words.
He was held back until the 22nd over here by Joe root, with England having endured a chastening day in a series full of them. First they lost their last six wickets for 46 and collapsed to 277 all out, then they saw West Indies get off to an excellent start.
So worrying was the lack of swing gained by England’s big two of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad — in contrast to a West Indies attack again led by the outstanding Kemar roach — that root was forced to turn to spinner moeen Ali as first change.
moeen responded by taking two wickets in two balls, forcing Kraigg Brathwaite into an uncharacteristic hoick and then trapping the impressive John Campbell lbw, before Wood was given his belated opportunity.
How he took it. The wicket of Hope was followed next ball by roston Chase providing rory Burns with his second catch, this time an excellent one, in successive balls.
Hetmyer survived the rapid hattrick ball at the start of Wood’s next over but he was clearly uncomfortable, at one point seeming to back away from a Wood delivery, before he became his third victim on the stroke of tea.
When Wood penetrated the defences of Darren Bravo, who repelled everything hurled at him in Antigua, he had career best figures in one spell.
By the time he tired, Wood had four for 37 from eight actionpacked overs either side of tea and England were firmly on top, a position of authority reinforced by two more wickets for moeen.
Keemo Paul was stumped by Jonny Bairstow and Alzarri Joseph brilliantly caught by Stuart Broad.
Broad had returned to trap Shane Dowrich with the help of a review but, fittingly, Wood had the last word to bowl Gabriel, complete his first Test fivewicket haul and give England a lead of 123. They had extended it by 19 without loss, praise be, by the close of a second day in which 16 wickets fell. How England had needed their bowlers after another insipid first-innings batting display saw them lose their last four wickets in 13 legitimate balls. once both Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes had gone — they added 125 for the fifth wicket — the end was nigh.
Nothing summed up their plight more than Bairstow struggling through 33 deliveries to score only two before he was bowled by a booming inswinger from roach.
Bairstow had been restored to No 7 but was rattled by the pace of Gabriel, who struck him on the helmet grille. He was bowled for the 10th time in 19 innings.
When Anderson became the last to fall, roach had four for 14 in the day and 17 in the series — but his efforts might not bring West Indies victory here.