Ben Stokes Praises Mark Wood’s Speed Ahead of Final Test Against West Indies
England Test captain Ben Stokes has praised fast bowler Mark Wood for his incredible speed and determination, suggesting he could soon reach the 100 mph mark. The third and final Test of the home series against West Indies will start on Friday.
During the second Test at Nottingham, Wood delivered the fastest over by an English bowler at home since 2006, with speeds reaching up to 97 mph. Stokes highlighted Wood’s consistent high speeds and his impact on the game, saying, “He seems to be getting closer and closer to that [100mph mark], but I am happy with what he is doing now, to be honest. Being able to sustain that pace is quite phenomenal.”
Stokes also noted that Wood’s average speed in Test matches is always above 90 mph, which is impressive. The fastest Test delivery is by Australia’s Mitchell Starc at 99.66 mph, but the 100 mph mark was first crossed by Shoaib Akhtar in the 2003 World Cup.
Stokes emphasized Wood’s relentless effort and game-changing spells, saying, “He has got the heart of a lion. He runs in spell after spell, ball after ball. When he bowls the whole game changes.”
England has announced their playing XI for the final Test, aiming to complete a series whitewash and improve their World Test Championship standings. They currently have 45 points and a percentage of 31.25, moving up to sixth place. After the series, England will host Sri Lanka for three Tests and then tour Pakistan and New Zealand.
| England Playing XI |
|---|
| Zak Crawley |
| Ben Duckett |
| Ollie Pope |
| Joe Root |
| Harry Brook |
| Ben Stokes (captain) |
| Jamie Smith |
| Chris Woakes |
| Gus Atkinson |
| Mark Wood |
| Shoaib Bashir |
Doubts Revealed
Ben Stokes -: Ben Stokes is a famous cricketer from England. He is the captain of the England Test cricket team.
Mark Wood -: Mark Wood is a fast bowler who plays cricket for England. He is known for bowling very fast.
100 mph -: 100 mph means 100 miles per hour. It is a way to measure speed, and it is very fast for a cricket ball.
fastest over -: An over in cricket is a set of six balls bowled by a bowler. The fastest over means the bowler bowled all six balls very quickly.
series whitewash -: A series whitewash in cricket means one team wins all the matches in a series without losing any.
World Test Championship -: The World Test Championship is a tournament where cricket teams from different countries play Test matches to find out which team is the best.
