Days after being added to the England squad for the second Test against West Indies, Mark Wood has made his way into the playing XI for the Trent Bridge match starting Thursday (July 18). Wood replaces the retired James Anderson, who had an emotional farewell at Lord's after the first Test. (More Cricket News)
The 34-year-old Wood, who is England's fastest bowler, was not available for the Lord's Test, as he had only just returned to the country after the completion of England's ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in the West Indies. Wood picked up three wickets in five T20 WC matches, but has not yet played a first-class match for Durham this season.
He did feature in three of England's five Tests in India, earlier this year, and joins the side that won the opening Test by an innings and 114 runs. This will be the first home Test that England will play without either Anderson or Stuart Broad in their XI since 2012, and only the second since 2007.
Meanwhile, Anderson was at Trent Bridge on Tuesday in his new role as England's bowling coach, soon after his Lord's swansong.
Wood's selection means that Matthew Potts and Dillon Pennington will have to wait to get a look into the playing XI. They were both the original inclusions in England's squad for the first two Tests, as named by the selectors in June.
Gus Atkinson is the other tearaway pacer in England's arsenal. The seamer had claimed match figures of 12 for 106, the fourth-best for a debutant in Test history, in last week's win at Lord's.
Young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir did not bowl in the Lord's Test, which was his first home appearance for England, but retains his place for the second Test.
England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir.
West Indies Playing XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph / Jeremiah Louis, Jayden Seales
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