‘Trial by fire’ -Fans react as Mark Wood dismantles Australia with fiery opening spell in Ashes 2023
England and Australia locked horns at Headingley for the third Ashes Test. England won the toss and opted to bowl. Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood came into the England side for Josh Tongue and James Anderson. For Australia, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy and Scott Boland came in for Josh Hazelwood and Cameron Green. With Mark Wood back into the England side, the Three Lions had an out-and-out, pace option for them.
Wood bowled with a lot of hostility and at pace. This amazing spell of bowling stunned the Australians as they got hopping around. The right-arm pacer was a threat literally to every ball. Wood bowled an absolute jaffa to dismiss the in-form Usman Khawaja who has scored 313 runs in three matches at an average of 62.80. Wood bowled a 95 mph ball full and straight with a hint of inswing to Usman Khawaja. The left-hander went forward to play an on-drive, he got an inside edge and the ball hit the stumps.
In the first session, Wood bowled an exhilarating spell of fast bowling as he bent his back for six overs. In those six overs, three of them were maidens and he picked up one wicket. With Wood part of the England bowling attack, he provided a bit of an X factor to the bowling lineup as he had the Kangaroos in a dazed state. The last two tests have seen Australia hold the advantage over England with a lead of 2-0 as Pat Cummins led side beat the Three Lions by 2 wickets in a thriller at Edgbaston and 43 runs in a high-intense Test match at Lords.
The Kangaroos have been in imperious form since they set their foot on English shores. In the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, Australia reigned supreme and beat the Men in Blue by a mammoth 209 runs to claim their first WTC and the Test mace. Australia are without the services of Nathan Lyon who sustained a calf injury and have replaced him with Todd Murphy.
Let us take a look at the reactions on Twitter:
🔥 Mark Wood unleashes a lethal bowling spell, leaving @CricketAus struggling from the very first ball! 🎯💥 The speed, accuracy, and sheer determination are simply unmatched. The Aussies are in for a wild ride! 🏏@englandcricket #Ashes2023 #Ashes23
pic.twitter.com/xruUN5uiQk— Vineet pandey (@vineetpandey_09) July 6, 2023
Fire hai tu🔥. #MarkWood pic.twitter.com/GlB8u4jm3H
— Muzamal Dhother (@Muzamal_Dhother) July 6, 2023
There should be a new law, that anyone who says cricket is a soft game, is ordered to face Mark Wood bowling at 96 mph. Go on Starmer, put it in the manifesto.
— Mark Steel (@mrmarksteel) July 6, 2023
Pace is pace, yaar 🚀🚀🚀
Mark Wood with a 96MPH/155KPH thunderbolt 🔥🔥🔥 #Ashespic.twitter.com/7EwMq9ksag
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) July 6, 2023
Proper gas from Mark Wood, nothing better watching from the armchair! #Ashes2023
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) July 6, 2023
Absolutely MENTAL that Mark Wood — who's just bowled a 24-ball spell in which the slowest ball was 91mph , the quickest 96.5 — still plays the odd game for Ashington CC.
"Would you like a guard, batsman?"
"Er yeah, square leg, please"
— Scott Oliver (@reverse_sweeper) July 6, 2023
Mark Woods bowling at 97mph has made my summer ! Wish he would stay fit but fast bowlers are always injury riddled. Great start to the 3rd test #ashes #markwood
— The Cobra 💲💰💸💵💹💷🪙💳 (@COBRAeZe) July 6, 2023
Mark Wood is bowling 🚀 #TheAshes https://t.co/Woeet0TZXp
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 6, 2023
Beats him for pace, and absolutely obliterates leg stump. Mark Wood has sent Khawaja packing with a thunderbolt ⚡
What a spell this has been by the tearaway quick 🔥
— Behram Qazi 🇵🇰 🇨🇦 (@DeafMango) July 6, 2023
