Mark Wood has been recalled to England’s attack, replacing the retired James Anderson as the only change to their XI for the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge, starting Thursday.
Wood, England’s fastest bowler, missed the Lord’s Test due to his recent return from England’s T20 World Cup campaign in the Caribbean, where he took three wickets in five matches. He hasn’t played a first-class match for Durham this season.
However, Wood joined the squad after England’s innings-and-114-run victory in the first Test at Lord’s and will return to the XI, having played in three of England’s five Tests in India earlier this year.
This will be the first home Test for England without either Anderson or Stuart Broad in their XI since 2012, and only the second since 2007. Anderson was present at Trent Bridge on Tuesday in his new role as England’s bowling coach, following his farewell appearance at Lord’s.
Wood’s inclusion means Matthew Potts and Dillon Pennington must wait for their opportunities, despite the selectors naming them in England’s squad for the first two Tests. Potts, who impressed with 23 wickets in his first six Tests in 2022 and 2023, hasn’t played for England since the Ireland Test at Lord’s last June, while Pennington is yet to make his Test debut.
Wood’s selection follows the success of another 90mph seamer, Gus Atkinson, who claimed match figures of 12 for 106 in the Lord’s win, the fourth-best by a debutant in Test history.
Shoaib Bashir, England’s offspinner, did not bowl in the Lord’s Test, his first home appearance, but retains his place at Nottingham.
England 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
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