The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
No substitute for pace as Wood merits recall
Cricket: England call on Durham bowler for double dates
England have recalled the fit-again Mark Wood for the Champions Trophy, with Joe Root hailing the Durham seamer’s raw pace as a potentially decisive asset.
Wood is fit after missing the entire winter programme, during which he underwent a third ankle operation, and has done enough for Durham in the opening weeks of the season to persuade the selectors he is ready for the tournament in June.
The 27-year-old last played for England in September and, although injury problems have restricted him to a modest 11 one-day caps since debuting in 2015, his pace and hostility mark him out as a compelling choice.
Test captain Root, who is also a pivotal player in the 50-over side, is happy about Wood’s return and said: “He’s a very skilful bowler, but raw pace is a huge weapon in limited-overs cricket.
“If you can bowl as quickly as he can and move the ball laterally then he can get us off to a good start.
“We’ve seen he can make a big impact and can wrest a game in our favour in the space of two or three overs.”
National selector James Whitaker,
“Can make a big impact and can wrest a game in our favour in the space of two or three overs”
announcing the squad at Edgbaston – one of three host venues for the June tournament, alongside Cardiff and the Oval – was equally pleased to have Wood at the team’s disposal after a troubling spell on the sidelines.
“He’s worked hard on his fitness. He’s had a few issues in the last year or so but he made his comeback in the UAE and has progressed nicely over the season for Durham,” Whitaker said.
“We don’t start for another month and he’s an exceptional X-factor bowler.
“We look forward to seeing him. He can bowl 90 miles an hour and on his day he’s a handful for any batting side.”
There were no real surprises in the 15-man squad, although Steven Finn will be disappointed not to have won one of five fast bowling slots having failed to edge out David Willey, Liam Plunkett or Jake Ball.
The Middlesex man played all three matches in England’s last 50-over series against the West Indies, but Willey offers variation as a left-armer and can bat, while Ball is arguably a more consistent like-for-like option,
Finn has to settle for a place in a slightly modified 14-man squad to face Ireland in two one-day games in early May.
England’s season will begin with the games against Ireland at Bristol and Lord’s on May 5 and May 7, with Indian Premier League trio Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes excused.
Captain Morgan, wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings and opener Jason Roy will report back from India for those games, with Finn and Northamptonshire batsman Ben Duckett selected as cover.
The selectors have resisted the temptation to take a look at Lancashire’s rising talent Liam Livingstone, Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan or Surrey’s young prospect Tom Curran, but Duckett has been offered a first chance on home soil.