The England team is delighted about the bowler’s fitness as Marcus rejects Mark Wood’s fitness concerns on the final day of the fifth test of Ashes 2023.
Marcus rejects Mark Wood’s fitness concerns
England’s assistant coach Marcus Trescothich brushed aside any fitness concerns with Mark Wood on day 5 of the Ashes final Test at Kia Oval, London. He revealed bringing Mark Wood into the bowl in a late session of Day 4 was a decision based on tactics.
Mark Wood had a great impact throughout the Ashes series since playing from Headingley. He didn’t bowl until the 33rd Over. He was given three overs in which he gave 16 runs.
Speaking after the day 4 he said, “I think pretty much like everybody, there’s little aches and pains that are going off the back of a big five-Test series.
Both teams will be traveling in the same way at the moment. But yeah, everyone is fit to bowl. It was a tactical decision.”
As England requested to change the ball on day four he felt it made a difference and said, “I think it was just a bit harder. That was the difference. Immediately, there’s a bit more life in it. Balls seem to have gone very soft very fast in this game – and this series.
Both captains have tried to change them on numerous occasions. Whether it makes any difference, the rain coming down and saving it for tomorrow, who knows?”
England bowlers failed on creating a breakthrough in 38 overs as Australia reached 135 runs losing no wickets as Both openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner reached half-centuries.
One of the drawbacks of England’s attacking style with the bat is that their bowlers have substantially higher workload than Australia’s on the series.
Marcus Trescothick was happy on the return of Moeen Ali’s return to fitness after he suffered groin injury on day 1. “He’s OK. You saw him bowl today. He’s obviously had the little niggle that he’s got. He’s obviously had a bit of rest and put his feet up.
It’s not 100% – of course it’s not. It’s not going to be probably for two or three weeks from now, but we’ve got a little bit out of him and will continue to try to do that again tomorrow.”
In Lord’s Long Room incident, Usman Khawaja was verbally attacked by MCC members on the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow in the second Test of the Ashes 2023 where Australia won the Test.
After many waves of abuse, the verbal attacks continued till the fifth Ashes Test 2023, the Australian star, and Marnus a Labuschagne faced a similar during the final Ashes Test at Kennington Oval In London last week after a video leak of an England fan verbally abusing Australian Players.
On the third day of the match, England raced forward to make a lead in the match after a positive approach from Zak Crawley, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes.
The Australian players were returning back to the pavilion after their stands, where one of the spectators was filmed yelling “boring’ at each player who had been walking to the stairs.
As Khawaja and Labuschagne received the same kind of treatment from the England fans. While other players ignored it, the above-mentioned players were left angry and were charging at him.
The Australia opener urged the man to “calm down”, while Labuschagne asked him, “What did you say? What did you say, mate? You’re just about to go at everyone else.” Upon being confronted, the spectator was quick to respond with an apology.
