Mark Wood’s spell on
second day led to a sensational West Indian batting collapse and might have
revived Wood’s Test career……
One of the most exciting things for me to follow, during the
Ashes 2015 in England, was an English bowler named Mark Wood. Neither did he
give the impression of something special nor did he fit the prototype of a
modern English pacer. But his deceptive pace, which clocked around 85 mph on
average, caught my attention. He used to deliver from wide of the crease and
brought the ball back-in-to the batters at pace. The Australian batters were
pressurized by the Wood gave away wickets to big guns.
But after that eventful Ashes campaign, Wood would be an
inconsistent campaigner. Lean-patches and injuries would create hurdles in his
career. He did get his opportunities to cash in, but sadly, that deceptive pace
was not evident. For every team, pace bowlers are an asset. Apart from skill
and experience, the value of a pacer gives a team the extra-value. A genuinely
quick bowler can not only trigger the fear-factor in the minds of a batting
unit, but also can script a collapse from nowhere. Keeping this in mind,
England looked forward to Wood since that Ashes campaign, but he failed to unleash
the magic.
England lacked temperament and an x-factor in the bowling
unit throughout the Test series in West Indies. While the hosts peppered the
visitors with speed and barrage of short-pitch bowling, the likes of James
Anderson, Stuart Broad or Ben Stokes; just could not deliver the balls at pace
– well too much to expect from the old warhorses, though!
England decided to give Wood yet another opportunity. Even
his best of fans would not expect anything special from Wood, but would invest
faith in the experienced campaigners for the goods.
Shannon Gabriel bowled fast, really fast in the morning
session. The ball reached towards the English batsmen like cannonballs.
Immediately, it resulted in a collapse – England lost their last six wickets
for 46 runs. On this track at Saint Lucia, 277 is still a very competitive
total. Even though the kind of start West Indies openers gave to their team, it
seemed, England might have to grind under the hot sun yet again.
John Campbell shunned the idea of defensive display and
started to play his shots. There were some crispy strokes, but it increased the
chances of playing false strokes. Kraigg Brathwaite dropped the anchor as
usual, but Campbell’s fluency was contagious – it prompted Brathwaite to
attempt a un-Brathwaite stroke against the run of play. He decided to smack
Moeen Ali by attempting a Twenty20-shot, which went high up in the air as James
Anderson grabbed the catch in the deep.
Then it was time for restless Campbell to depart, who was
not sure how to play an Ali-delivery, which pitched full in-and-around leg
stump and was trapped lbw.
The kind of discipline West Indies displayed throughout the
series was absent. Perhaps, a bit of over-confidence overshadowed the solid
temperament shown at Barbados and Antigua.
A devastating spell to relish
A devastating spell to relish
Wood started to bowl.
The run-up was smooth but not thrilling to watch. The jump
at the popping crease before delivering the ball did not attract anyone, but as
soon as he delivered the ball, he commanded each and everyone’s attention.
Each and every delivery had a touch of hostility as they were delivered
with pace – pace, the much needed pace, which England missed in West Indies.
According to Cricviz, “Wood took two wickets in his first
over, did not concede a run until his 13th ball and didn’t drop below 140kph
until his 34th. This was the Mark Wood that people were calling for when they
talked of England’s lack of pace during the Ashes; quick, hostile and taking
wickets”.
The deliveries to dismiss Shai Hope and Roston Chase clocked
around 94.6 mph, while Darren Bravo’s guts were melted by with balls, which
thudded into his body and prompted him to play a meek-shot. The dangerous
Shimron Hetmyer was undone by a lifter and then, Alzarri Joseph and Gabriel got
the taste of their own medicine.
Wood, who replaced Olly Stone, grabbed five wickets for 41
runs in his 8.2-over spell. It was his maiden 5-wicket haul in his 13th Test.
In Antigua Wood said, “I would never give up hope of playing
Test cricket. Growing up it’s the pinnacle”. Certainly, he never gave up.
Despite back and ankle problems, he kept on working hard and waited for the
ultimate opportunity to prove his worth again. And also, in life, you need a
slice of luck. Had Stone not been injured, Wood might have to warm the bench at
Saint Lucia as well.
“There have been some horrible dark days with injury and
things, with confidence and self-belief. I thought in my mind I was an England
player but I hadn’t shown it. But today I feel like I have. The feeling of five
was brilliant. The lads knew what it meant to me and I was emotional in the
dressing room. It was a relief and I am so happy”, Wood said after the match.
The tour to UAE with the England Lions really helped Wood
to rediscover his potential as a menacing fast bowler, who would come on and
bowl in short but hostile spells. Obviously, Trevor Bayliss had to step up and
make one of his students to realise his true potentials.
“Trevor challenged me to go and show I was a step above the
lads in the Lions and really set the bar high. In most the games I feel I did
that and proved I was an international class bowler," Wood said.
“I felt I was actually here on merit. I felt because I'd
done well there [in UAE] it merited my spot being here and this time I wasn't
picked on potential, I deserved it”.
Hard work pays off and Wood is just another example, but to
prolong the duration of your success one needs to understand the mantra of
achieving consistency. Wood needs to be consistent to secure his place in
England’s Test team. Otherwise, the accolades would disappear quickly like the
morning mist.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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