Mark Wood’s future in the Ashes in the balance

Injuries plague some sports people. Mark Woods is one of them. He is battling for his future at the highest level of cricket. Read on to find out more

Mark Wood wants to keep himself in contention to the Ashes squad. The English fast bowler said, while at the launch of the £1million #Funds4Run investment from ECB and LV= General Insurance, he loves playing for his country and, if given the chance to show himself on the big stage, he believes he still can do the business. 

He has been named in the England squad for the limited-overs tour of South Africa, where he’ll be hoping to show his value with his pace as much as Jofra Archer has, who he traded records with for the fastest delivery at the 2019 World Cup. If he can keep fit and ready, maintaining form, he’ll put himself in contention for the Ashes squad for Australia in 2021.

However, there have been whispers over Wood’s interest in turning to white ball, and no longer pursuing red ball games. At this point in time, there is a definitive lack of clarity over Wood’s future -- and, with it, the future of the Ashes. 

The Punters

As ever, the stakes go far beyond any single match -- and Mark Wood’s indecision over whether or not to move into white ball only cricket is causing significant nerves among punters and bookies alike. The entire betting world is currently homing in on Mark Wood’s hesitations.

It is impossible to overstate the impact this could have on the world of sports betting, and online gambling in general. In a landscape that facilitates those who want to play without a deposit or keep a constant, 24/7 watch over the odds, this lack of clarity over one of England’s star players stands in sharper relief than ever before. 

Injury History

Wood’s history with injuries is extensive. “After his comeback from injury…” will be the opening sentence for a lot of paragraphs in his career roundup. It’s ankle injuries which have troubled him the most and required him to undergo surgery three times in the space of twelve months. And then there’s the familiar injuries which affect cricketers, like side strains. The last surgery was in late 2016, and, as is the case with long-term injuries, let alone recurring ones, his mental health suffered. 

These struggles are cross-sport. Daniel Sturridge, the former Liverpool FC striker whose career was plagued by injuries, and who might have become, it is considered by many, a Premier League great had it not been for injuries, spoke along these lines recently. There was the frustration of not being able to play. Sadness often follows frustration, or is tangled up with it, because things out of your control are stopping you from doing what you enjoy, what you’re good at, and what you’ve worked so hard and sacrificed a lot for. The competition of the sport when you’re on the injury table transfers to facing yourself, trying to beat or cope with yourself. It’s a different battle. But this is sport, injuries are part of it.

Wood has altered his bowling technique, so he puts less strain on his weak ankle, to hopefully add some longevity to his career. He’s already hinted he might have the move to white-ball cricket, as this might also give him a few more years on his career. England won’t stand in his way, they’ve said.

Recent Play

Wood played against the West Indies over the summer. Much to his disappointment, he only featured in the first of the six tests. During the first test, he bowled fast, clocking over ninety miles per hour for a whole over. It was one of the quickest overs ever bowled by an Englishman. He struggled to make it effective though. The West Indies batters, though put to the test occasionally, surviving some close scares, settled into the rhythm and the afternoon. 

The argument is that the England board of selectors set up their attack with a lot of imbalance. In the first test, Dom Bess ended up bowling nineteen overs in the first two sessions. They had left out Stuart Broad too. Sometimes Plan A works at a foundational level – Wood was bowling fast – but doesn’t quite get the desired results. Obviously, everyone takes a bit of the blame when this happens – it’s the noble thing to do and say. However, there’s always an argument about who is really at fault: the system or the players.

England’s Options

What England do have is a great amount of depth in the bowling department. Chris Woakes and Sam Curran were left out of that first test against the West Indies too, as well as Stuart Broad. With Jofra Archer performing a similar role to Wood, arguably at a higher standard, and if England decide to have a more varied and flexible attack, Wood might miss out on the Ashes squad in 2021. 

One thing is for certain, Woods is considering and trying everything to continue to play at the highest level.