Ashes 2023, 3rd Test: Movement, not pace, helped me trick Aussie batters, says day one hero Mark Wood
Ashes: Ace pacer Mark Wood credits movement for day one success in Leeds
Returning to the Test side after an injury layoff, ace England seamer Mark Wood stunned Australia with his five-wicket haul on day one of the ongoing third Ashes Test at Headingley, Leeds. The right-arm quick was clocking close to 96 mph and even dismissed the batter in form for Aussies, Usman Khawaja clean bowled on 13.
Brought into the side as James Anderson's replacement for this Test, Wood ended up with figures of five for 34, picking four wickets after tea. Speaking to the British Broadcasters Sky Sports after the day's play that saw England trailing behind by 195 runs, Wood said he was elated to put up a show when his team needed him the most.
With the disparity in his bowling average (away 24.18 and home 40.71), Wood was visibly delighted to perform on the home soil.
"I was really happy that I could show in home conditions that I can bowl as well," Wood told Sky Sports after the first day's play in Leeds. "I'm delighted. Obviously, I haven't played a Test match in a while, but to be able to come back fairly fresh and produce that was pretty special."
Leeds track helped me with movement
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Following the previous two Tests, where the wickets offered were deemed flat by players and experts, a greener track was on display for the third Test in Leeds, and per Wood, that added spice to his spells. Expressing his views on what brought him success in the presence of exceptional seam bowlers Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad, Wood said it was the movement.
"Movement, that's what's deadly I think. If you just bowl fast, these top players are just used to that. They face dog-stick guys [throwing the ball] off 17 yards, so they're used to facing quick bowling. So, I the thing that helped today was the movement really.
"I'm usually on the flat ones, to be fair, and my record is much better away from home. On wickets like today, when the ball moves around, you're automatically thinking Anderson, Broad, Robinson, Woakes. They are your top guys who can trouble people in these conditions," Wood added.
Known to be picking wickets on flat decks or bouncier pitches, where the ball skids or with the old ball that reverses a lot at his pace, Wood said bowling in such conditions is always different and that he worked behind the scenes for this day, which paid the price.
"For me, being able to move the ball today, it's really helped me because that's not something that I've always done to be, to be brutally honest. I've tried to work hard behind the scenes on the wobble seam through speaking to the other guys and the bowling coaches. It's something I'm trying to get better at. I'm 33, but I'm still trying to get better and better, even though it's slow progress. It doesn't just happen overnight.
"But I like bowling away from home because it brings in reverse swing. And the bouncer attack on flat pitches, I feel really that suits me because they sometimes skid through, and it's hard to play, especially with the field," Wood concluded.
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