Paceman overwhelmed after putting ‘dark days’ behind him

Mark Wood overcomes injury and self-doubt to revive Test career, writes Nick Hoult in St Lucia

When Trevor Bayliss told Mark Wood he was joining the Lions tour before Christmas, he gave the bowler a simple challenge: to knock heads off. As he walked off the field with a five for 41 next to his name and soaked up the acclaim of his team-mates in the dressing room, Wood felt a sense of satisfaction that the gremlins in his mind and body had been laid to rest, at least for now. Heads had been turned rather than knocked off by a performance of intoxicating fast bowling.

“There have been some horrible dark days with injury and selfbelief, but I truly thought in my own mind I was an England player but I wasn’t showing it, whereas today I feel like I have shown I am an England player,” he said.

“I was a bit overwhelmed in the dressing room, a bit emotional after injuries and things like that. It was a relief and I am happy.”

Wood bowled with skill and accuracy combined with an average pace of 88.87mph, reaching a high of 95, the third quickest by an England bowler to the Cricviz database that stretches back to 2005 (it would have been higher but for a slower ball). Even Steve Harmison was emotional as he called on Talksport the performance of a fellow Ashington fast bowler he has helped to cope down the years with his injuries and knock-backs.

“He is an infectious character to be around on and off the field. He looks after his body, he eats right, he doesn’t drink, which is a surprise for someone from Ashington,” said Harmison.

England have worried that Wood is too nice to be a fast bowler, that he lacks the nasty edge to be truly effective at Test level. Sending him to the Lions was designed to gee him up, but also to work on his action and run-up away from the focus of international cricket.

Wood lengthened his run-up at the end of last season in consultation with Chris Silverwood and Kevin Shine, the England bowling coaches, in an attempt to stop the chronic ankle injuries that have threatened his career so many times. The step back to launch his run-up has gone, the extra paces leading to his delivery stride have taken the stress off his action.

He was left out of the original squad for this series, his eventual call-up owing to the fact Olly Stone broke down injured and reports from that Lions tour that Wood was bowling quickly again.

Wood arrived in the West Indies relaxed and refreshed after his

wedding and honeymoon between Christmas and new year, his focus having been off cricket for the first time in years.

He does not hide his emotions on the field or off it. He can be honest, too honest sometimes, admitting his self-doubt in interviews when other players keep them hidden behind a shield of banalities.

After 12 Tests, Wood averaged 41 with the ball, he was down on pace when he last played against Pakistan at Lord’s in May and the catalogue of injuries has left many suggesting he go down the Twenty20 road. This was a crucial performance, one that makes him an Ashes drawcard.

Wood’s first ball was 88mph, a loosener quicker than anything else bowled all day by England, and Shai Hope played and missed at his first three deliveries. All of a sudden the temperature had changed. The fourth was quicker, 92.2mph, and Hope, his mind scrambled, drove hard and sliced to gully. Wood’s adrenalin was pumping. Roston Chase’s first ball was 92.2mph and Rory Burns was knocked off his feet taking the catch at gully. The hat-trick delivery was even quicker at 94.6mph, and England could sense Shimron Hetmyer did not fancy the challenge.

The tea break gave him a brief chance to rest, and for Hetmyer to stew on what was to come. He edged to slip and then Darren Bravo tentatively nicked to the cordon as well, giving Wood four wickets for the first time in Test cricket. The fifth to clean up the innings was a quick yorker.

Wood’s performance has shown up the decision to pick Sam Curran for two Tests, especially to take the new ball in Barbados, and gives James Anderson and Stuart Broad backup while taking the pressure off Ben Stokes to churn out the overs.

“I was not looking at the speed gun,” said Wood. “I felt in good rhythm and all I could see was the batsman. Moeen [Ali] came up to me and said, ‘Do you need a mid-on now?’ I said I think someone is there. He said you have not had one for five or six overs. I was so focused on the batter I hadn’t noticed.”

Everyone else noticed for him.