We wanted to play Mark Wood: Ben Stokes explains Josh Tongue's Ashes call-up in 2nd Test
Jun 27, 2023
London [UK], June 27 : England captain Ben Stokes said they "wanted to play Mark Wood" in the second Ashes Test at Lord's, which begins on Wednesday, but they were compelled to choose Josh Tongue for his second cap instead because to concerns about his endurance.
England field an all-seam attack on a surface that still had a thick layer of live grass on it the day before the game, with Tongue replacing Moeen Ali as the only change from the team that lost by two wickets in the first Test at Edgbaston last week.
Moeen's spinning finger, which he cut when he returned to first-class cricket last week after a 21-month absence, has "recovered really well," according to Stokes, but a combination of Lord's pitch conditions and worries that he would reopen the wound led to the selection of a fourth seamer.
"We wanted to play Mark Wood. We felt that he could definitely start the game but with conversations, we felt the extra week with build-up and getting his loads up would give him a better chance and an opportunity to play a full part from Leeds onwards," ESPNcricinfo quoted Stokes as saying.
"And we brought Tonguey into the team as a like-for-like with Woody. We turned up here at Lord's and saw there was quite a lot of grass on the wicket, a bit of green. Traditionally, Lord's has offered more for the seamers and with how Mo's finger was last week... we just thought we would get more out of our fourth bowler being Josh Tongue this week," he added.
After bowling at practice on Monday, Stokes said that Wood had a sincere conversation with him.
"Me and Mark are great friends. We go back a long way. I spoke to him how I'd want him to operate in this game and he was very honest with me," he said.
"He wasn't sure if he'd be able to give what he's known for throughout this Test match. So the decision was made to allow him to keep building his body up to give himself the best opportunity to go out, from Leeds onwards, to play a full part," the England Test captain said.
Seamer Tongue has been recalled to England's playing XI for the second Ashes Test at Lord's after all-rounder Moeen Ali was omitted following the finger injury he sustained at Edgbaston last week. Tongue made his England debut at Lord's earlier this month against Ireland, taking 5/66 in the second innings and offering Ben Stokes a point of difference with his pace and bounce.
