Mark Wood available for Third Test match at Oval

England fast bowler Mark Wood is now available for selection after being declared fit for the third Test match at Kennington Oval, London, starting 27th July. Wood has been deemed fit after scan reports suggest no serious threat to his left heel. The series is currently locked at 1-1.

Wood has had a history of injuries throughout his cricketing career. He is renowned to have a problematic ankle, which forced him out of the reckoning for Test matches for nearly a couple of years as he last featured in the whites last in October 2015. He made a comeback in the First Test match at Lord’s against South Africa. Mark Wood suffered from soreness during the second innings of the Trent Bridge match and, therefore, had to miss out on the majority of the action.

In the 10 Test matches he has played, Wood has claimed as many as 26 wickets with the best figures of 3/39. He has proved to be a reliable death bowler for England in the limited over format, with his performance in the recently concluded Champions Trophy. Despite his injuries, he has featured in 19 ODIs for England and has picked up 21 wickets at an economy of 5.3.

Stoneman to replace Ballance

The other expected change in the squad which would be announced later this week on Friday or Saturday is Gary Ballance, who broke his finger while facing a ball from Morne Morkel. Mark Stoneman earns an international call up due to the injury to Ballance. The Yorkshireman’s place in the side was questioned due to his sluggish form with the bat. Michael Vaughan and Ian Botham have been previously vocal about axing Ballance after the Trent Bridge debacle. Vaughan has also been critical of Joe Root’s captaincy lately which came as a shock to the newly appointed captain of England.