Like everyone who witnessed it the 25-year-old Wood remembers exactly where he was the moment Steve Harmison took the decisive wicket of Michael Kasprowicz to seal a nerve-shredding two-run win in the defining match of that fabled 2005 Ashes series.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Broad said that England would feel a lot comfortable in the next two Tests, scheduled to be played in Edgbaston and Nottingham’s Trent Bridge, as they have a good track record there.
While the physical demands of an Ashes series can be gruelling, Wood is also finding the extra scrutiny mentally draining.
He told the Telegraph: “It’s crucial that we don’t get to Edgbaston still hung over or fearing what happened at Lord’s”. “We need to be quite clear that we performed badly, but this is a new week”.
“I’m unsure what they’re going to try and prepare now (for the third Test in Edgbaston), and that’s part of playing worldwide cricket and travelling around the world – of course you’re not going to make the wickets like they are in Australia“, he said.
Rogers, who was struck on the helmet by James Anderson off the first ball of the second day of the match but recovered to score 173 in Australia’s first innings, was diagnosed with an inner ear problem and remained in London to seek treatment.
Ian Bell and Joe Root are due to move up the order to the number three and four respectively, with Bairstow at five.
England have called up batsman Jonny Bairstow to replace Gary Ballance, his Yorkshire teammate, in what is set to be the only change to the team that played at Lord’s.
“I think when we get to Edgbaston you’ll see a very determined, steely, skilful batting line-up for England”.
“Australia’s Mitchell Johnson took six for 80 at Lord’s, reviving memories of how the left-arm fast bowler captured 37 wickets during his side’s 5-0 home Ashes rout of England in 2013/14”.
Ten years on from arguably the greatest Test of all, Mark Wood will head to Edgbaston this week hoping to emulate Ashington’s most famous cricketing son by helping England to another memorable victory against Australia. “One minute you’re the best thing since sliced bread and the next it’s the doom and gloom of the world.’ It’s 1-1 we’ve got it all to play for”.
Advertisement
Brukner said earlier in the week: “We are confident this is something we can manage in the lead-up to the third Test”. I read somewhere that England haven’t won the third Ashes Test since 1981, which has got to change.
