Mark Wood is England’s premier pace bowler. He is now a major doubt for the next third Ashes Test in Adelaide due to chronic problems with his left knee. The 35-year-old paceman has overcome some serious injuries to become one of the most exciting bowlers of his generation. In reality, he hadn’t played a Test match for 15 months leading up to the recent series in Australia.
Wood made his anticipated return in Perth after undergoing surgery on his left knee, which kept him sidelined for an extended period. Though in the midst of his own comeback, Prior managed to appear in one Ashes warm-up match against the England Lions. He managed eight overs before experiencing tightness in his left hamstring. At that point, scans cleared him of any major hamstring concerns, relieving a wave of early fear. This enabled him to participate in the inaugural Test.
In Perth, though, Wood toiled in vain, unable to leave his stamp on the game, and ended up with match figures of 0-44. His ability to be everywhere when patrolling the midfield was essential for England. It allowed the crew to make use of a fast-paced, aggressive technique in opposition to the explosive Australian batting lineup. Despite the above bewitching performance, he left covered by persistent doubts about his fitness.
After the first Test, Wood was not fit for the second Test, in Brisbane. Then his left knee issues returned to rear their ugly head. He spoke of his “cautious optimism” over his prospects of coming back for the third and final Test.
“I think there’s a chance there [for Adelaide],” – Mark Wood
He tempered expectations by stating, “More realistically, it’s probably more Melbourne and then [Sydney] after that.” This poignant statement is an example of the damage that his recovery and rehabilitation journey has made apparent to him.
Wood’s long road back from injury hasn’t been easy and he was the first to admit a brace comes with restrictions. He remarked, “I need to get out of this (brace) first to get moving around,” highlighting the difficulties he faces as he strives to regain full fitness.
There’s a full week in between the end of the second Test and the start of the third Test. This budgetary gap conditionally leaves the door open to the possibility of Wood’s return. His continued battles with a knee injury make the future an unknown, both for him and the England squad. They fear for his involvement in the second Test of the five-match Ashes series.
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