‘We’re all vying for one spot’ – Wood on World Cup selection challenge
The Durham bowler was handed the new ball – and with it an opportunity to bulldoze his way into the selectors’ midterm plans – in the fifth ODI against Sri Lanka on Tuesday (23 October).
The 28-year-old’s career has been blighted by injuries, which has prompted a lengthening of his run-up to reduce stress on release, and since his debut in 2015 he has accumulated just 34 ODIs, yielding the same number of scalps.
Wood is averaging 46.88 with the ball and knows he faces a battle to creep to the front of the queue ahead of the likes of Liam Plunkett, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and youngsters Tom Curran and Olly Stone.
Plunkett has 75 wickets in 44 games since the 2015 World Cup, which has made him a permanent fixture in England’s 50-over side, while Stone, with his express pace and lethal bouncer, and Tom Curran, who picked up 3/17 in the third ODI, have impressed in his absence during the first four ODIs of the ongoing ODI series.
England currently have just five more ODIs scheduled before the flagship limited-overs tournament on home soil next summer, and Wood concedes that time is running out to impress.
“In my mind, there’s one spot in the squad for five of us,” Wood said ahead of the fifth ODI. “Liam Plunkett is going to play – he’s been our best bowler for a while. Chris Woakes has been so consistent. He is a great bowler and he is going to take the new ball. And Ben Stokes balances the team.
“So, you’ve got one spot between me, Tom Curran, who feels he has got his slower ball back, Olly Stone, who bowls rockets and is ahead of me at the moment, Sam Curran, who can bat, and David Willey, who had a good summer. We’re all probably vying for that one spot.”
“It can be frustrating when you are just on the outside with a World Cup around the corner. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have one eye on that. I know that, if I don’t do well here, I am one tour away from not making that World Cup squad. And that’s something we’ve been building up to for over four years – ever since the last one. So, I’ve got to do the business.”
“I’ve managed to swing the new ball out here so that has been a plus. And I have been trying to work on a few new slower balls. I feel I can get better with a few slower balls. But I’m against the clock. Everyone is fighting for that one spot, so it is not like I can keep working on a slower ball for the next three years.”
“Some of the net sessions have been pretty hairy as all the bowlers have been charging in trying to get a spot in the side. I’ve just got to prove myself and get better. And if I can do that, hopefully I should get my spot back.”