I HAVE THE X-FACTOR!
Wood pledge to England
MARK WOOD is determined to prove he can fill the massive gap in England’s bowling attack.
Joe Root’s side clearly lacked somebody with express pace in their 4-0 Ashes drubbing – and the 28-year-old Durham quickie believes he can do the job.
Wood made a low-key return in yesterday’s one-day warm-up win at Sydney’s Drummoyne Oval.
He actually failed to take a wicket as a Cricket Australia XI reached 258-9 in 50 overs, but one vicious bouncer that just missed Matt Renshaw’s throat reminded everybody how potent he can be.
“I’ve been chomping at the bit,” he said after a winter spent working on his fitness with the Lions following heel and ankle problems.
“I’d like to prove a point to everyone, to my teammates and the media, that I can be that X-factor bowler that they need.
Aggressive
“Nought for 68 doesn’t read well, I reckon I bowled a lot of dot balls and a lot of fours and sixes, but I was really pleased with how it came out.
“(I want) to prove to everyone else that when I’m on I can add something different and I can do it for a long period of time and be consistent.
“That’s my role in the team, to ramp it up and be aggressive and try to take wickets by bowling fast.”
Wood’s first target is the five-match one-day series that starts in the early hours of Sunday, followed by the tour of New Zealand.
But missing the Ashes was a big blow. He believed he was fit enough to play some part during the series but understood the management’s caution given his previous injury record.
“It’s something that I haven’t coped well with in the past when I’ve not been quite 100 per cent,” he added.
“I’m desperate to play for England but there are probably a couple of games I played in the past when I shouldn’t have and that has damaged my reputation with coaches and selectors.
“I’d rather be honest now than play and not do myself justice.
“Pat Cummins is someone I compared myself to. He has had injury problems too and he was managed really well and bowled short spells. “I was comparing myself to him and thinking, ‘Would I have gone about it the same as him?’. “The fact that he’s had success has made me more hungry to have success further down the line.”
Skipper Eoin Morgan (81 not out) guided his side to a fivewicket victory.
Given his problems in the Test matches, Moeen Ali was surprisingly the pick of the bowlers with 2-28 from his 10 overs.