Veteran England pacer James Anderson hailed Mark Wood’s stunning all-round performance in the third Ashes 2023 Test at Headingley, Leeds, while saying the tearaway pacer reminds him of former seamer Darren Gouch. Wood’s outstanding contribution of seven wickets and 40 runs in the match played a crucial role in England’s convincing victory, allowing them to bounce back and revive their chances in the series.
Wood has gained a reputation for his clever interviews and cheerful personality, and Anderson reaffirmed this image by describing how effectively the fast bowler uplifts the atmosphere in the dressing room.
“It was brilliant to see Mark Wood bowl so well. We love him in the dressing room. He brings so much energy to the group. He is just non-stop chatting and being silly, trying to make people laugh. He loves bowling fast. He reminds me of Darren Gough in that he likes a glance up at the scoreboard to see if they have put his pace up after he has bowled a ball. He just wants to bowl quickly. He was born to bowl quickly,” James Anderson wrote in his column for The Telegraph.
Anderson believes Mark Wood’s cameo in the first innings, in which he scored 24 runs off just eight balls, was a defining knock for England. Wood’s knock ensured that the momentum shifted back in the hosts’ favor, freeing up captain Ben Stokes to play his natural game at the other end.
“His bowling helped his batting too. That 24 off eight balls made a real difference in that moment of the game. It was almost like a T20 impact. He did the same in the second innings. When bowlers go short like that and you need only 20 runs you know that even a top edge is going to go for six and make a big dent in the target. That is what he did,” Anderson added.
