LET ME AT AUSSIES!

Fired-up Wood to take out frustrations on old enemy

Mark Wood wants to turn the heat up on australia in six whiteball matches that provide the perfect finale to an imperfect season — and lay down a marker for the next ashes.

England’s fastest bowler, unlucky to be restricted to just the first of six Tests this summer, is expected to return in tomorrow’s first Twenty20 international at the ageas Bowl and wants to take out his frustration on the old enemy.

‘There’s an extra incentive when you play australia, without a doubt,’ said Wood ahead of what would be his first white- ball appearance of the season.

‘They’re desperate to beat us and we’re desperate to beat them. It doesn’t matter if it’s ashes or white-ball.

‘When we turned up at the ageas Bowl yesterday they were playing a practice game and smashing the ball everywhere so I don’t know if they were just doing that to try to scare us. But I’ll be trying to stop them winning as much as I can.’

and if England can follow up their recent limited- overs successes against australia, notably in last year’s World Cup semi- final at Edgbaston, by winning the Twenty20 and 50-over series, Wood believes it will provide a psychological boost for the ashes next year.

‘Everyone still talks about how rapid Mitchell Johnson was in that one-day series a few years ago and he then carried it on to the ashes,’ said Wood.

‘It’s a very different game but it was like when Stuart Broad had the wood over david Warner. If you can start the ball rolling it gives them something to think about whatever the format.’

It was harsh on Wood when England left him out of all but the first Test against West Indies to allow Broad, Jimmy anderson and Chris Woakes to dominate what was meant to be a fast bowling rotation policy in this bio-secure summer.

and Wood (right), who insists he was fit for selection throughout the six Tests, revealed he sought an explanation from England coach Chris Silverwood over his unexpected absence after excelling last winter in South africa.

‘It’s not my style to shout and scream,’ said one of the most popular members of the England team.

‘I just went to Chris and asked him honestly what I need to do to get into the team and improve.

‘Sometimes you don’t get the answer you’re hoping for but he said he was happy with me. I just didn’t get selected and of course that was frustrating. ‘I still feel very lucky to be here and it’s important when you’re not playing to give as much energy as you can to the team. ‘I’m a big fan of the England cricket team and when you’re not picked you’re disappointed but you try to give as much back as you can.’ Wood has spent his time on the Test sidelines working on a new ‘wobble seam’ red-ball delivery in an attempt to add to his skills and become more than just an express pace bowler best suited to overseas conditions. ‘My record is much better away but I’m not going to get better if I don’t play at home,’ he added. ‘I bowled all right in that first Test, averaging 89mph over 20 overs which was pleasing after not playing for so long. Things just didn’t go my way. But if

I want to get better in England I have to add things which I’m working on.’

Meanwhile, aussie coach Justin Langer believes his side’s crushing 5-0 one-day defeat by England two years ago helped them recover from the cheating scandal in South africa that led to lengthy bans for Warner and former captain Steve Smith.

‘When we came here in 2018 we were at crisis point,’ said Langer yesterday. ‘We were copping it from everywhere and rightly so.

‘The team had made a terrible error in judgment in South africa and we all paid a price for that.

‘But, my gosh, it put hairs on the chests of the young players to come here and lose 5-0 to England.

‘It was one more little punch from Mother Cricket and we had to regain the respect of people worldwide. Hopefully over the last two years we have done that.

‘I think we have come a long way but now we face a very dangerous England side. We know what to expect and we’ll be ready.’