England captain Ben Stokes is full of praise for fast bowler Mark Wood, stating that he believes Wood is steadily approaching the monumental milestone of bowling at 100mph. During the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge, Wood clocked an impressive 97.1mph, coming very close to the coveted 100mph mark. Stokes expressed his confidence in Wood’s abilities, highlighting that he has witnessed Wood reaching 97.73mph in the past.
Despite the challenging feat of bowling at such high speeds, Stokes commended Wood’s consistency in maintaining an average speed of over 90mph in every Test match he plays. This level of fitness and dedication to speed is a valuable asset to the England team, according to Stokes.
Wood’s impressive performance has earned him a spot in the unchanged England team for the upcoming third Test against West Indies. Stokes emphasized the thrill of watching Wood bowl at such intense speeds, noting that he would much rather have Wood as a teammate than face him as an opponent.
In the world of cricket, achieving speeds of 100mph or more is a rare accomplishment. Only a few bowlers, such as Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee, and Shaun Tait, are believed to have reached this milestone in limited-overs cricket. However, the accuracy of measuring bowling speeds has been a topic of debate among data analysts.
Stokes revealed that Wood is constantly monitoring his speeds on the big screen during matches and expressed his excitement at the prospect of Wood eventually hitting the 100mph mark. The captain acknowledged the hard work and dedication required to sustain such high speeds, emphasizing that Wood’s consistent performance above 90mph is truly commendable.
As Wood continues to hone his skills and push the boundaries of fast bowling, cricket fans eagerly await the moment when he reaches the historic 100mph milestone. Stokes’ unwavering support and belief in Wood’s abilities only add to the anticipation surrounding this remarkable feat in the world of cricket.