Leeds: Playing a Test match after more than six months, England pacer Mark Wood ripped through the Australian batting lineup on the opening day of the third Test of the Ashes 2023 series at Headingley.
Wood, playing his first Test since December 2022 when he turned out for England against Pakistan at Karachi, claimed 5-43 in one of the quickest and most hostile spells seen at Headingley as Australia were bundled out for 263.
However, what brought more joy to the 33-year-old pacer was achieving success with his parents watching from the stands.
“That was amazing, a great feeling to get five wickets for the first time in front of my mom and dad, so that was a lovely moment to see them in the stand,” Wood told SkySports at the end of the day’s play Thursday.
Wood, who was not picked in the playing XI for the first two games, said he was pepped up to produce his best effort as it was a must-win game for England, who are trailing 0-2 in the five-match series after losing at Edgbaston and Lord’s.
“This is a must-win game, so we’ve got to back it up. I thought at Edgbaston I was in a good place and chomping at the bit. Had a setback at Lord’s with my elbow, but here I was mentally and physically ready,” Woods said.
Though Wood bowled with a lot of pace and some of his deliveries nudged the 96 miles per hour mark, he said the movement he got from the Headingley pitch was the key to his success.
“Movement was the key, all of them looked like hitting the stumps, sometimes if we went too full it slid on, so we were trying to bash the one that hits the top of the stumps, then go full.
“Stokesy knows me well, very clear before the game that it would be short sharp spells, give it everything for three or four overs,” said Wood.
The pacer, who made his debut against New Zealand at Lord’s in 2015, has so far taken 95 wickets from 53 innings of 29 Tests so far with a best haul of 6-37 in an innings.
Wood said he loves to bowl in away matches as he can bring reverse swing into play.
“My record’s much better away from home than at home, on wickets where it moves around, you’re picking Anderson, Broad, Woakes… I’m trying to get better at that with wobble seam, it doesn’t happen overnight but overseas brings in reverse swing,” he said.
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