England look to future with Mark Wood new-ball role but struggle in warmup

Mark Wood emerged from a chastening experience in Hamilton against a New Zealand XI reassured that he is being primed for a lead role in England’s future.

Wood conceded more than four an over at Seddon Park, where centuries from the New Zealand Test discard Tom Blundell and the unheralded tailender Kyle Jamieson gave England the runaround on day one of their pink-ball warmup match. Yet England’s fastest bowler knew before the start of play that his standing is high with the captain, Joe Root, who informed him the previous evening that he would take the new ball alongside Jimmy Anderson.

The reason for Wood’s elevation is significant. Anderson and Stuart Broad, with 922 Test wickets between them but also a combined age of 66, cannot go on for ever as the twin strike force that has dominated England’s attack for the past decade.


Source :- theguardian