Mark Wood: Spinning pitches no longer a ‘foregone conclusion’ after epic win\u060c<\/p>\n
It was only as England came out to defend the target of 231 they had set for India in the first Test at Hyderabad that Ben Stokes informed Mark Wood that he would open the bowling, as he had done it in the first rounds. The trap ? He would only do it once.<\/p>\n
Wood wasn't really surprised. He was the only seamer in the attack and bowled only two overs in his first stint on the first day. This was part of a larger plan concocted before the series<\/a> to use seamers as a point of difference. Wood's extra pace and ability to reverse the movement of the ball would come in bursts, with the spinners doing most of the work.<\/p>\n This was vindicated as England's four spinners took 18 wickets in the match, with Tom Hartley starring with a match-winning 7 for 62. Wood admits to micro-spells \u2013 his eight second innings overs were bowled in games of one, three, three. and one – it took a little getting used to.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we were on the pitch he probably said one or two,\u201d Wood said following Stokes\u2019 instructions. “I mean, I thought I wouldn't even be able to open the second innings bowling. But it was like 'one over, that's it'.<\/p>\n “So it was a little weird. Especially when the captain says you're going to throw one with the new ball and it was a little bit like, okay, I'm going to practice with the new ball.<\/p>\n “Very rarely would you think you'd throw one away and then walk away. But weirdly, I trust what he says. An over? Okay, okay, I'll give it my all. And then he said 'rest' and I'm not bothered. I understand, we're going to shoot now. So it's just a little different.”<\/p>\n