Paceman Wood sets strike rate challenge
MARK Wood has challenged himself to become a more prolific wicket-taker for England – but accepts Sri Lanka may not be the perfect place to top up his tally.
The Durham paceman has been England’s quickest white-ball bowler for much of the past three years, able to summon a steepling bouncer and leave batsmen hopping when he bends his back, but has not always boasted figures to match.
Wood goes into this month’s five-match one-day series, which begins in Dambulla tomorrow, with 34 wickets in 34 matches and a modest strike-rate of one every 51.2 deliveries.
By contrast his new-ball partner Chris Woakes averages 33.5 balls per wicket, the absent Liam Plunkett sits at 30.4 and all-rounder Ben Stokes is operating at just under 40.
The 28-yearold tackled the issue head on with bowling coach Chris Silverwood, who was similarly rapid in his own playing days, and the pair have been casting a wide net in search of inspiration.
“I said to him that although I’d played a few games for England I hadn’t taken loads of wickets. I’d taken one in a game, two in a game but I hadn’t had that five-wicket haul,” said Wood, who has a careerbest return of 4-33 against Australia. “He got a hold of the analyst and we looked at bowlers like Kagiso Rabada (of South Africa) and Pat Cummins (of Australia).
“I’m not the same as them, they’re a lot bigger than me and I’m shorter and skiddier. But when they’re bowling quick how do they get their wickets? What kind of fields do they have? How do they get people out? It’s all about seeing how different people go about it.”
One change he has worked on is in his run-up, losing the idiosyncratic ‘back step’ and adding a few extra paces to his approach.
“Off the short run I was having to force it all the time, that meant I was putting more stress than I needed to on my body and having to ramp it up to get my top speed,” he explained. “I just pushed my run up back a bit and felt I could cruise into it a little bit better, and look for more rhythm rather than being at the top end forcing it all the time. It’s a trial, I can always go back.” Although Wood would love to see early dividends by rattling through Sri Lanka’s top order over the next two weeks, he is realistic about the nature of a seamer’s job on the island. Given conditions spells are likely to be short, pitches slow and swing in short supply after the first few overs. If the team require discipline more than dynamism, he is happy to oblige.
I pushed my run up back a bit and felt I could cruise into it a little bit better