Mark Wood has handed England an untimely Ashes scare after feeling pain in his left hamstring during the warm-up fixture against the England Lions at Lilac Hill, raising fresh doubts over his readiness for next week’s first Test in Perth.
The 35-year-old fast bowler was taking part in his first proper match scenario since suffering a knee injury in the Champions Trophy nine months ago.
Wood delivered two four-over spells before leaving the field midway through the afternoon session, prompting the ECB to send him for a precautionary scan on Friday.
England insist he was only ever scheduled to bowl eight overs as part of a carefully managed workload, but with the Ashes just eight days away, optimism is fading that he will be fit in time for the opener at the Optus Stadium.
Wood had been tipped to reprise his role as England’s most dangerous quick from the 2021–22 tour, when he claimed 17 wickets in four Tests and regularly exceeded 90mph on Australia’s hard pitches.
Ben Stokes even allowed himself to imagine a long-awaited new-ball pairing of Wood and Jofra Archer, calling it “exciting”, while warning that much could change before the series began.
Since last summe,r Wood has endured repeated setbacks. Attempts to return during the home Tests against India and the limited-overs matches against South Africa were abandoned when fluid built up in his previously injured knee.
England will be hoping Mark Wood makes a swift recovery from injury
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PA
Although he looked sharp during centre-wicket practice in Wellington two weeks ago and joined sessions on the New Zealand white-ball tour, he admitted on arrival in Perth: “I wouldn’t say I am at 100 per cent.”
The early signs at Lilac Hill were encouraging.
Wood hit speeds lively enough to knock Jordan Cox off his feet with a skidding full delivery moments after lunch.
England left out Shoaib Bashir despite off-spin historically having little success at Perth
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PA
Yet the numbers from his two spells — 4-1-12-0 and 4-0-17-0 — matter far less than how his body responded to them.
England travelled to Australia believing they finally had a fully fit pace attack; Wood’s discomfort has quickly tested that optimism.
Further down the ranks, Brydon Carse was ruled out of the match through overnight illness, leaving Stokes to shoulder an unexpectedly heavy load on a slow surface.
The England captain responded in emphatic fashion, delivering a five-wicket haul built almost entirely on short-pitched bowling.
His figures — 12-2-45-4 across two six-over bursts, plus another breakthrough after tea — offered reassurance after his own lay-off with a shoulder injury during the India series.
There were nevertheless selection questions.
England and Australia drew the last Ashes series back in 2023
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PAEngland left out Shoaib Bashir despite off-spin historically having little success at Perth.
Nathan Lyon’s 29 wickets at the venue remain an outlier, with only Travis Head’s part-time off-spin showing any other notable returns.
The omission hints England may be contemplating an all-seam attack for the first Test, although it also denies Bashir the chance to bowl at elite batters such as Joe Root and Harry Brook, a far sterner examination than facing the Lions, who passed 300 thanks to half-centuries from Will Jacks, Ben McKinney, Cox and 17-year-old Thomas Rew.
For now, all eyes will be on Wood’s scan results. England insist his withdrawal was precautionary, but with the Ashes countdown accelerating, their fastest bowler’s delicate fitness has again placed their plans under strain.
