RAPID RESCUE ACT BY WOOD
PAUL NEWMAN England’s 95mph man blows Windies away
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 old-fashioned West Indian pace has been a deciding factor.
Who would have thought a 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, took a big step towards a place in this summer’s Ashes yesterday. He has added eight or nine miles an hour to his speed since last seen in Test cricket in the defeat against Pakistan at Lord’s last summer.
He was pleased to finally silence the doubters, saying: ‘I’m pretty pleased with how it’s gone. It’s nice to show some people who have doubted me in the past — I have even doubted myself — that I can do it. There have been some horrible dark days but I thought in my own mind I was an England player. It was a relief to show it.’
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 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’ words.
He was held back until the 22nd over 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 a hoick and then trapping the impressive John Campbell lbw, before Wood was given his chance.
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 hat-trick 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, 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 Broad.
Broad had returned to trap Shane Dowrich with the help of a review but, fittingly, Wood had the last word to bowl Gabriel, seal his first Test five-wicket haul and give England a lead of 123. They had extended it by 19 without loss 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, 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.
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.