England pacer Mark Wood believes that Australia will begin the Ashes series as favorites, but he maintains that the English team has a “quiet confidence” that they will perform well in the marquee series, which begins later this month.
England want to put an end to three extremely biased Ashes tours. The last time they won the series in Australia was in 2010–11.
“Australia are obviously the favourites going into the series, but I think there’s a quiet confidence within our group that we can do well here,” Wood was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
Due to a knee injury he suffered at the Champions Trophy in February, the pacer hasn’t played a Test in 15 months and hasn’t played competitive cricket since. He is an essential component of England’s bowling strategy.
“I wouldn’t say I’m at 100 percent. I think it’s very hard to train 100 percent all of the time. I’ve been off my full run-up and stuff, and I’ve been trying to just up the intensity as I go along.
“I’m sure in the practice game coming up, I can try and up it a little bit more again and gradually get ready for that first game,” he said.
Talking about his rehab, the 35-year-old said: “(It was) really boring for six months and it was never a straight trajectory. There were some bits I was not doing as well and I had to build it up again. It is finally nice to be outside in some nice weather ramping it up.”
Wood is excited to play at “rapid” Perth Stadium, where he bowled just once during the 2022 T20 World Cup, when the first Test starts in Perth on November 21.
“It was rapid. I’m not sure my back is looking forward to it, but my bowling is definitely looking forward to it.”
Wood is pleased with the schedule, despite criticism of England’s lack of significant warm-up games.
“The schedule is the schedule, I’m happy with what we’ve done. In India recently, we didn’t have many games there, and we went straight into that and managed to win that first game,” he said.
“We’re going to have been here, what, two or three weeks as a group. That’s a good enough build-up to that first game in my eyes. I suppose everybody’s different, and some people might want more.”
For the first game of the series, Wood wants to be as fresh as possible.
“But, for myself, I want to feel fresh going in that first game, having done a little bit, but not too much. I want to be mint for that game, and as fresh as I can be. We’ve got a good depth of bowlers, and if one misses out, he’ll be prepared for the next game.”
