With Jofra Archer out due to injury, Mark Wood is England's fastest bowler. Photo: Getty Images/Stu Forster
For England, it might be time to go back to Jack Leach's words to Ben Stokes at Edgbaston a year ago after the team scored 378 points to win: «There will be teams that are better than us, but no one will be braver than us. ”In the last throes of a magnificent first test, Australia was almost better, but only the bravery of England ensured a positive result.
Differences in the approaches of the two sides are that it took only 144.2 overs for Australia to take 18 wickets, while England took 208.4 overs. However, while these numbers are indicative of England's unruly approach, they also mask concerns about the threat of a bowling attack on flat wickets.
Boycott briefing, first test day, fifth, game over
England showed remarkable ingenuity and great skill to appear an inch ahead for most of the match. Had a few agonizing near misses—six failed traps, one stump missed, one wicket missed—had had different results, England would no doubt not only have won, but would have done so by a reasonable margin. And yet, in the last agony of the Test, England's attack at times looked like what it is: four right-handed seamers running at over 80 mph, backed by two orthodox baubles.
The short ball ploy brought England significant success in Edgbaston. While this was a testament to the adaptability of Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson, it also raised the question of what Mark Wood could achieve.
Wood is confidently the fastest bowler in England. He also enjoyed an amazing streak of Ashes Down Under in 2021–22, taking 17 wickets. Wood consistently caused trouble for top Australian batsmen, sending off Marnus Labouchagn three times with an average of 12, and Steve Smith and Travis Head twice each.
And yet, when they reflect on this defeat, England especially lacks Wood's prowess against the lower order. Ever since Ben Stokes took over as captain, England have preferred to bowl at a lower level and followed the same strategy in the final days at Edgbaston.
But, with his ability to consistently top 90 mph, Wood poses a bigger threat to the tail overall. He showed the same thing in 2021/22: he fired Pat Cummins twice in 15 runs and Scott Boland — as stubborn as the night watchman — twice without missing a try. Wood's choice would give England a more varied attack and more prepared to end Australia's lower level resistance, which will be stepped up when Mitchell Stark returns to the team — quickly.
Anderson was England's least astute fast bowler
The question is who Wood will replace. With the bowlers being judged in the coming days, there may well be a natural response if one of the Edgbaston trio of stitches isn't fully completed when the Ashes competition resumes at Lord's.
But if all the seamers are in full form, James Anderson was England's least astute fast bowler at Edgbaston. By his extraordinary standards, Anderson was not at his best in the Ashes' first bout of 2023. He won only one wicket in the match. Drifting on the stumps much more often than usual to attack the pads, Anderson generated a little lateral movement. At Edgbaston, he showed less seam movement than during any previous home test summer, and also had the second biggest wobble.
Anderson wrestled in Edgbaston — an unusual sight in English conditions. were expected. There were enough stunning balls to suggest he was the best option for England as a spinner in Jack Leach's absence, but at the cost of unfinished deliveries that betrayed a man who hadn't played a top-notch game in 21 months. All this added up to 3 — 204 out of 47 overs.
A significant proportion of them were delivered with an injured finger: again, it was not unpredictable when a person accustomed to four-over bowling has to do 12 times more in a game.
Of course, Moen was withdrawn with more than just the first test in mind. But, if he's not completely suited to the Lord, the side might balance out a bit. Joe Root, whose 22 overs were worth just 58 runs while beating Alex Carey for the third time in Test cricket, showed once again that he is more than an auxiliary bowling option against left-handers.
It was a reminder . that, depending on the field and the preparedness of the attack, England have the opportunity to line up in different ways. If Moen had been absent, England could have continued to deploy Root and select four seam machines in the front line.
However, the Aussies' least favorite will be Wood, a bowler who will give the offense the necessary balance that all teams crave.
Do you agree that Mark Wood should be chosen for the second Ashes? Test? Let us know in the comments below
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