Mark Wood was in scintillating form as he wreaked havoc on Australia’s batting lineup, propelling England to a commanding position on Day 1 of the Test match.
Making his return to Test cricket after a seven-month absence, Wood immediately made an impact by shattering the leg stump of Australian opener Usman Khawaja with his searing pace and an inswinging delivery. In the final session of the game, Wood continued his assault on Australia’s tail-end batters, ultimately bowling them out for a modest total of 263.
With impressive figures of 5 for 34, Wood secured his fourth five-wicket haul in Test matches. Throughout his spell, Wood consistently clocked speeds of over 90 mph, with his fastest delivery reaching 90.4 mph, setting a record for the quickest delivery by an England pacer in a home Test.
Notably, he also bowled the fastest over ever witnessed at Headingley, reaching speeds of 91 mph, 93 mph, 95 mph, 93 mph, 94 mph, and 93 mph. Wood expressed his delight with his exceptional performance in home conditions, particularly with the red ball.
His inclusion in the England attack proved to be a game-changer, providing the team with much-needed genuine pace options that were lacking in the previous two Tests. Consequently, Australia recorded their lowest total of the series so far.
Let’s see the list when Mark Wood Stunned Everyone with his bowling:
1. T20 World Cup, 2022
This was not the first time that Mark Wood displayed awe-inspiring speed against formidable batting units. During the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, eight out of the top ten fastest deliveries were attributed to him.
Wood consistently exceeded the benchmark of 150 kph throughout the tournament, with his fastest delivery being recorded at 154.74 kph against New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips.
Although Phillips managed to edge the ball past the leg stump for a boundary, he was fortunate to escape the rapid delivery. Wood’s performance broke the previous record set by the West Indies’ Fidel Edwards in the 2009 edition of the T20 World Cup.
2. England Tour Of Pakistan, 2022
Wood continued his speed onslaught in England’s T20I series against Pakistan in September 2022. After a six-month break due to injury, Wood made an impact in his first game back, consistently breaching the 150 kph mark.
His fiery spell included the dismissal of Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and Haider Ali, with the latter falling victim to the fastest over bowled by an Englishman in T20Is. Wood’s pace and skill were instrumental in turning the tide in England’s favour in the Test series against Pakistan three months later, where he claimed crucial wickets with his variations, including short balls, reverse swing, and sheer pace.
3. IPL Debut, 2023
In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Wood made a memorable comeback, representing the Lucknow-based team LSG after his solitary appearance for the Chennai Super Kings in 2018.
In his debut game for LSG against the Delhi Capitals, Wood delivered an outstanding performance, recording his career-best T20 figures of 5 for 14. His exceptional display played a vital role in LSG’s 50-run victory over David Warner’s side. Wood dismantled the stumps of Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh with special deliveries, disrupting the Capitals’ solid start to their chase of 193.
He further displayed his prowess by dismissing Axar Patel and Chetan Sakariya, completing his maiden five-wicket haul in the IPL. Mark Wood’s consistent display of express pace and skill across formats has established him as a formidable force in international cricket. His ability to trouble batsmen with sheer speed and variations has been a game-changer for his team, making him a valuable asset in England’s bowling attack.
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