Stokes and Wood are 'raring to go' for start of Ashes series

Ben Stokes and Mark Wood are expected to be “raring to go” for the start of the Ashes next month, offering England a timely boost in contrast to Australia’s ongoing concerns over the fitness of Pat Cummins.

- Ali Martin

As the two seamers with prior experience of playing Test cricket in Australia, Stokes and Wood are central to England’s plans this winter. Stokes missed the fifth Test against India with a shoulder injury, however, while Wood sat out the English summer after knee surgery back in March.

Things appear to be coming together, at least, with the pair recently training in the heated outdoor nets at Loughborough alongside their Durham teammate Brydon Carse. While Cummins says he is “unlikely” to be ready for the first Test in Perth that starts on 21 November because of his lower back stress issue, England could have a full complement of seamers at their disposal.

Carse said: “Ben is looking near enough 100% fit and so is Mark. I’ve been been bowling with them. It’s exciting to see where they have got to after their setbacks during the summer. They will be raring to go.”

As for his own knowledge of Australia, Carse was part of a successful Lions tour in 2019-20 and conditions should not be alien. The chief difference this time - beyond the quality of opposition - will be the presence of bumper crowds and thus some possible verbals on the boundary’s edge.