Stokes and Wood fire up Ashes bid

ENGLAND will head into the Ashes with a spring in their step thanks to their dynamic Durham duo.

The 232-run win against West Indies in St Lucia was just the tonic after abject displays in the previous two Tests. And it was built upon the twin towers of Ben Stokes and Mark Wood, who should have a big say in England’s attempt to regain the Ashes this summer.

The re-emergence of Wood is an unexpected bonus since he wasn’t even picked for this Test tour and got his lucky break when Olly Stone went home.

But head coach Trevor Bayliss reckons it is the dynamic Stokes (left) that could be the key aspect of the whole trip after scores of 79 and 48 not out.

“We saw Stokes get back to his free-flowing style, trying to dominate the attack,” said Bayliss. “That is what is best for him.

“Over the past 12 months, we have seen him trying to play in the way that everyone wants him to play Test cricket.

“He is trying to work out if that’s best for him.

“But we saw the benefits of his approach.”

There is still a problem with the top order, but even though Keaton Jennings, Joe Denly and Rory Burns have failed to impress, they are all still in the mix for the summer.

®

WEST INDIES fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has been banned for four matches after pleading guilty to abusing Joe Root during the third Test.

Match referee Jeff Crowe hit Gabriel with a 75 per cent match fee fine and three demerit points for the language he used that prompted Joe Root to reply: “Don’t use it as an insult. There’s nothing wrong with being gay.”