'It was a great feeling to pull on that white shirt again - Test cricket is the toughest form and where I always wanted to get to'
Thursday 13 July 2017 19:39, UK
Whose coin did Joe Root take to the toss? What's Moeen Ali really like? England seamer Mark Wood answers these questions, and talks about his long-awaited Test comeback, in his latest Sky Sports blog...
A four-day Test didn't mean much rest for me!
I was back on the streets of London on Tuesday trying to sell wristbands to raise money for Chance to Shine - it was me and Charlotte Edwards against Michael Vaughan and posh boy Sam Billings.
It was a battle of the posh lad in the Central Business District and the northern lad who had to go to Whitechapel Market. I won't spoil the results but let's just say I am quietly confident!
It was Joe Root doing the talking at Lord's in his first Test as captain - I wouldn't say his team talks were a whole heap different to Alastair Cook's but he did put his own slant on things.
He kept things relatively simple, I think. He spoke well and just wanted the lads to go out there and enjoy themselves, express themselves.
Session by session he was always chatting and was positive about what we had done previously. That first morning he spoke about how we had trained hard and prepared really well so there was no reason we couldn't go out there and perform.
Then, after the first couple of sessions, it was: 'Right, we've done this well and we need to do this well in the next session'. He was always reviewing what had gone and looking forward to how we could change the game.
Ultimately, because we were focused and carried on with that train of thought, we never let up and managed to get the win.
I've heard Joe say that he borrowed a quid off one of the lads for the coin toss as he wasn't sure about whose coin you used - but I can assure you it wasn't one of mine!
It definitely wouldn't have been a Yorkshireman's either, as they're the tightest blokes going. It was probably one of Jimmy's or Broady's. Actually, I reckon he got it from Stokesy, if anyone can afford it, he can…
Stokesy is our Test vice-captain now but he's still the same guy I've known for years, maybe just a bit more mature in himself and a bit more grown up. He still plays cricket in the same way - he plays hard and is so competitive and desperate to win.
He is a leader on and off the field and you could see the times when he and Rooty spoke on the field that he was not frightened to tell the captain what he thinks. It's great that those two have got that friendship and communication to boost each other.
Their partnership with the bat on the first day at Lord's when we were four down was crucial for us and Stokesy has history in doing that. I remember a key stand between him and Cook against New Zealand a couple of years ago when they counterattacked and Stokesy went on to score the fastest Test hundred at Lord's.
That was in the second innings, after Stokesy and Rooty had got us out of a sticky situation in the first at 30-4, so it was nothing new for those lads.
Stokesy and Rooty are real busy players, who run hard, put pressure back on the bowlers and make things happen. South Africa targeted them and wanted to get them early but they swung the game back in our favour.
It was also a great game for Moeen Ali with runs and 10 wickets and he's great to have in the team. He is so laid back but he is really witty as well - a funny, funny guy who keeps everyone on their toes when he is speaking to them. If you let up for a minute, he will nail you.
I think he is undervalued in terms of world cricket - people debate his position but, for me, he is a genuine all-rounder, a brilliant player who is key to our side with bat and ball. He also took a good catch when JP Duminy smashed me to midwicket. Thanks, Mo!
Off the field, he can't stop talking about how good a football striker he is and how many goals he's scored - he always keeps count and I think he's on 31 for the season now or something like that.
I only bowled one over in South Africa's second innings - getting Duminy with my last ball - but it was the right decision to take me out of the attack. Quinton de Kock, a left-hander, had come in and there was all that rough outside his off-stump for the spinners to use.
I felt I bowled pretty well in the first innings without getting a wicket as I hit the areas I wanted, so I will be trying hard this Test to replicate how I bowled at Lord's. Hopefully, I can get a few wickets.
Having been out for so long, it was a proud moment to come back into Test cricket - the toughest form of the game and where I always wanted to get to.
I love playing one-day cricket but having missed out on a couple of Test tours - Bangladesh and India recently, plus South Africa the year before - it was a great feeling to pull on that white shirt again.
This week, it'll be our first Test at Trent Bridge since I bowled the ball that sealed us The Ashes in 2015. I'll never forget that - when times are tough you look back at it and visualise how you felt at that moment. It's one of the spells I tap into to get confidence.
Finally, it was fun to hear Freddie Flintoff commentating on the Blast last week, alongside Rob Key. If I was in the Pod, I'd definitely want to commentate with Keysy, who is brilliant, as well as Stokesy, who would make me look good!
I've also seen Keysy is doing Coaching Clinics for Sky Sports at the Tests this summer, so I wondered if he could help me become the best fast bowler from Ashington?!
I think his good mate, Steve Harmison, might have me on that one at the minute!
Watch the second Test between England and South Africa, live from 10am on Friday on Sky Sports 2.
