England unchanged as they look to secure 3-0 Test series sweep over West Indies, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am Friday (11am first ball); home side opt against resting Mark Wood, who hit 97.1mph at Trent Bridge and could reach 100mph, according to captain Ben Stokes
Friday 26 July 2024 11:04, UK
England bowler Mark Wood "has got it in the tank" to hit 100mph, says captain Ben Stokes, as his side target a 3-0 series sweep over West Indies.
Wood's return to the Test team at Trent Bridge, in place of the retired James Anderson, saw him send down a barrage of 90mph-plus deliveries and bowl the fastest over recorded in England since records started being collected in 2006.
The 34-year-old clocked 97.1mph at one point and Stokes thinks his team-mate could reach three figures, with his next opportunity in the third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston from Friday, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am (11am first ball) as part of an unchanged XI.
Australia's Mitchell Starc has bowled the fastest delivery in Test cricket, registering 99.66mph against New Zealand in 2015, although Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar reached 100.2mph in white-ball cricket, against England in 2003.
Stokes said of Wood: "He seems to be getting closer and closer to that [100mph mark], but I'm happy with what he's doing now, to be honest. Being able to sustain that pace is quite phenomenal.
"His average speed every time he plays a Test match is always above 90mph - it's all fine and well trying to bowl one spell above 90 but every spell he bowls for England he's clocking over 90mph.
"You have to hold your hands up and celebrate what we have there. He's got the heart of a lion. He runs in spell after spell, ball after ball. When he bowls the whole game changes.
"When his name is read out the whole crowd is up, then when the speeds are on the big screen everyone gets going.
"Woody is always looking up at the screen to see what he's clocking. He knows he's in the team to not only bowl skilfully, but also fast."
Stokes' side took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series thanks to a 241-run win at Trent Bridge last week and the skipper has gone in with the same side again, meaning the uncapped Dillon Pennington and fellow seamer Matthew Potts remain on the outside.
"We're 2-0 up and we've had some very good all-round team performances, so it's a pretty easy decision to stick with the same XI," said Stokes. "We want to wrap up the series and hopefully take it 3-0.
"You always check in with your bowlers after every Test and go with what they say and what they feel, and [Mark Wood] is ready, firing, and good to go again.
"Fast bowling is very hard, so I think naturally we will see a change in the bowling line-up at some point [with England playing Sri Lanka in three Tests later in the summer.
"It's tough to not play. For Pottsy and for Dillon, I think it's great for them to be in the squad. Pottsy had a great 2022 when he first came in and now finds himself back in, and Dillon it's his first time in.
"They've worked incredibly hard, so if the opportunity does come around for either of them they'll be ready to go."
West Indies spinner Kevin Sinclair is out of the Edgbaston Test with a fractured forearm, an injury he sustained after being struck by a searing short ball from Wood at Trent Bridge.
The delivery dismissed Sinclair as he was caught by Zak Crawley at slip.
Fellow spinner Gudakesh Motie, who was replaced by Sinclair for the second Test after coming down with flu, has replaced his injured team-mate in a 12-player squad.
Fast bowler Akeem Jordan is also in that group as cover for Shamar Joseph, who has been battling illness.
Watch the first day of the third Test between England and West Indies, from Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Friday (first ball to be bowled at 11am).
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