Mark Wood wants to emulate Australia in third Ashes Test
Wednesday 29 July 2015 09:59, UK
England pace bowler Mark Wood has told Sky Sports News HQ that he will be taking inspiration from the Australians as he looks to bounce back in the third Investec Ashes Test at Edgbaston this week.
After an impressive Ashes debut in England’s win at Cardiff, Wood took just one wicket in the crushing 405-run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s.
But the Durham bowler is hoping to turn the tables once more on Wednesday.
"The manner Australia came back at us at Lord’s, we’ll be looking to do the same to them in the third game at Birmingham,” he said.
“They completely outplayed us. We have to hold our hands up and say well done to Australia, but we’ve just got to know that the next game is a new game and come back just as hard as they did.”
Wood highlighted the return to form of Australia paceman Mitchell Johnson in particular as a source of motivation rather than concern.
“Mitchell Johnson is a world-class performer,” Wood said. “He’s a match-winner and he changes games and that’s someone I’d like to be for England.
“He had a quiet game at Cardiff and came back really strong at Lord’s, which is pretty much where I’m at now so I’ll be trying to bounce back.”
At the end of the games, I felt quite emotionally drained and mentally tired
Wood believes that a fast start will be key if England are to emulate the tourists’ response.
“Joe Root set the standard in the first game. (Australia’s Steve) Smith and (Chris) Rodgers did in this game (at Lord's). So whether we’re batting or bowling, it’s important that we start well that first day and that first session.”
But Wood admits that adjusting to the physical and psychological demands of Test cricket has been a personal challenge: “The last game, I came in for a bit of criticism about my pace being down. But back-to-back Tests, it was tough on the body.
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“But there’s only one way I’m going to get better with that and that’s by playing back-to-back Tests.
“Mentally it’s quite draining because of the atmosphere and the emotions running through the game. At the end of the games, I felt quite emotionally drained and mentally tired, but (after) a couple of days back home, I feel refreshed and ready to go.”
The 25-year-old has also praised the response of new coach Trevor Bayliss after the defeat at Lord’s: “He said some stern words. He’s not one to talk a lot, he’s sort of in the background, but when he speaks, he speaks brilliantly and everyone listens.
“He said we can’t feel sorry for ourselves, we can’t go into this next game like we did in the last one and maybe concentrate on Australia too much.
“We’ve got to concentrate on England and what we did at the start of the Cardiff game which made us so successful.”
