A piece of Wood that England used!

England’s Mark Wood (left) earns a leg before verdict against New Zealand’s Ross Taylor in the ICC World Cup final at Lord’s on July 14, 2019. PIC/BIPIN PATEL

2015: Left ankle injury, misses the third Ashes Test.
2016: Ankle problems continue; undergoes surgery and misses England's home Test summer.
2019: Side strain, misses the first two Ashes Tests.
2022: Right elbow injury in the West Indies, requiring surgery.
2022: Body stiffness rules him out of the T20 World Cup semi-final and final.
2024: Right thigh muscle injury against Sri Lanka.
2024: Right elbow stress injury, ruled out for the remainder of the year.
2025: Left knee ligament damage, undergoes surgery.
2025-26 Ashes: suffers a recurrence of the knee injury after returning to Test cricket.

The Sky Sports website came up with the above list of injuries endured by England fast bowler Mark Wood, who announced his retirement from international cricket last week at the age of 36. From what you can see, it is no fun being a fast bowler.

Dennis Lillee, who knows a thing or two about fast bowling and injuries, wrote in his famous 1977 book, The Art of Fast Bowling: "Choosing a career in fast bowling is like committing the body in a masochistic manner to day after day on the rack, interspersed with periods of ‘relaxation' in the ring with Muhammad Ali. The constant sprinting, twisting, stretching, straining, and pounding that is part and parcel of being a quickie really puts the body to a stern test."

Wood was truly a swift bowler. His pace alone made him part of any conversation about the modern-day express bowlers, but his contribution to England went well beyond the speed gun - part of England's winning teams in the 2015 Ashes, 2019 ODI World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup.

Pundits often point to the 2018-19 St Lucia Test against the West Indies, when Wood returned to the England Test side after nine months away and bowled like the wind. He reached 94.6mph while taking 5-41, prompting Jonathan Agnew, writing for the BBC, to observe that such speed had not been seen from an England bowler "for a very long time". Agnew suggested that one probably had to go back to Darren Gough, Steve Harmison or Andrew Flintoff to find an English bowler capable of producing such a fiery spell. West Indian commentators Jeff Dujon and Ian Bishop were equally impressed. Dujon, who had kept wicket to some of the greatest West Indian fast bowlers of the 1980s and early 1990s, called it a "devastating spell" of "good, attacking hostile bowling." Bishop, himself a fast bowler whose career was curtailed by injuries, felt Wood had bowled with great "pace and hostility." England won the Test, although by then they had already lost the series. Wood, however, had announced his return to the Test arena in unmistakable fashion.

Four years later, at Leeds, he lit up the first day of the third Test against Australia with a spell of 5-34 in which he was clocked at 96.5mph. He added two wickets in Australia's second innings and remained unbeaten on 16 as England chased down their target to win the Test by three wickets. Player of the match? Quite naturally, MA Wood; his parents watching from the stands.

Under the headline, ‘Mark Wood retires from England - an inspirational bowler let down by body,' Mike Atherton paid a glowing tribute to the fast bowler in The Times (UK) last week. Atherton noted that Wood's fastest deliveries had been clocked at about 97mph and that "no one has bowled more quickly for England since the speed gun was introduced." He also mentioned how Wood became quicker in the second part of his career after taking the advice of West Indies fast-bowling great Michael Holding to lengthen his run-up.

"I did speak to Woody after I got a message from the ECB media liaison officer that he wanted to have a chat. He didn't lengthen his run immediately after we spoke. It took some months for him to be convinced. I spoke to him after a particularly good performance by him after a Test in South Africa and he mentioned to me that it helped and that he's sorry he didn't do it earlier," Holding, who wasn't taken aback at Wood's decision, told me earlier this week.

"As for his retirement… can't say I'm surprised, as fast bowling is a strenuous endeavour and he has had quite a few injuries. He pushes himself and never seems content to give less than 100 per cent." The internationally retired Wood has already stepped into the commentary box, something that Holding did too with grace, without having to hold back the hard talk. "He should do a good job as he seems unafraid to express his opinions and loves to have fun, so should take that into the job," said Holding.

Wood has judged the pace of his wicket, will bowl within himself as it were if needed, and the qualities he has displayed should serve him well behind the microphone.

mid-day's Editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance.
He tweets @ClaytonMurzello. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
The views expressed in this column are the individual's and don't represent those of the paper.