England Face Fresh Injury Concerns as Wood Suffers Hamstring Strain in Tour Match
Perth, Australia – England’s preparations for the first Ashes Test have been dealt a blow with fast bowler Mark Wood sustaining a hamstring injury during the tour match against the England lions. While Wood appeared in good spirits leaving the field after taking a catch, the injury raises important concerns given his recent history of setbacks.
Wood, who hasn’t featured in a Test match since August 2024 due to an elbow injury, made a welcome return to white-ball cricket earlier this year. However, his comeback was again interrupted by a knee injury sustained at the champions Trophy, ultimately requiring surgery. Worryingly, the current hamstring issue is located in the same leg.
This tour match marked Wood’s first competitive cricket in nine months and his first appearance in whites – the traditional format of Test cricket – in fifteen months. Despite the lengthy layoff, the 34-year-old instantly demonstrated his threat, reaching speeds of 91mph in his opening spell on a slow pitch.
The inclusion of Wood in a five-man pace attack for the tour game was widely interpreted as a signal of England’s intentions for the first test, scheduled to begin on November 21st at Optus Stadium. the perth venue is known to favour seam bowling, with spin traditionally playing a lesser role in Australian Test conditions. Shoaib Bashir,England’s frontline spinner,was curiously playing for the Lions in this warm-up match.
England aren’t the only team grappling with injury concerns. Australian captain and pace spearhead Pat Cummins is ruled out of the first Test with a back injury, though fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood has been cleared of a hamstring problem.
In brighter news for England, captain Ben Stokes enjoyed a successful return to action, claiming four wickets in the first two sessions of the match.Stokes has been sidelined since July with a shoulder injury. Another England pace bowler, Brydon Carse, is currently sidelined with illness but is expected to rejoin the team shortly.
Keywords: Mark Wood, England Cricket, Ashes, Injury, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Australia Cricket, Test Match, Optus Stadium, Hamstring Injury, Cricket News.
