Brisbane, Nov 29 (IANS) England will be without Mark Wood for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane after renewed concerns over the fast bowler’s left knee, dealing a significant blow to their hopes of levelling the series.

Wood, 35, had only just returned to Test cricket in last week’s heavy defeat in Perth following surgery that kept him out for nine months. He managed just 11 overs before England slumped to a two-day loss, an outcome not seen in an Ashes match for more than a century.

The injury-prone paceman did not take part in England’s training session at Allan Border Field on Saturday morning, the only member of the squad absent. His omission all but confirms he will sit out of Thursday’s day-night Test at the Gabba.

Josh Tongue will be the front-runner to replace him. The Worcestershire seamer is currently in Canberra with the England Lions, alongside Matthew Potts and Jacob Bethell, for a match against the Prime Minister’s XI.

For Wood, the setback is yet another chapter in a career repeatedly disrupted by fitness problems. Before the Perth Test, he had not played red-ball cricket for England in 15 months due to an elbow injury followed by knee surgery. Even his warm-up appearance for the Lions before the series raised alarm when he left the field with hamstring tightness, though scans later ruled out damage.

Despite going wicketless in Perth, Wood’s presence allowed England to unleash the high-pace strategy they had long planned for Australia. Their five-seamer attack produced the fastest collective day of bowling in the team’s Test history on day one. But speeds dipped the following day as Australia raced to an eight-wicket win.

His absence is especially troubling given England’s poor record under lights. They have won only two of the seven day-night Tests, and none in Australia. The Gabba, where England haven’t tasted victory since 1986, has traditionally favoured the hosts, who have triumphed in 13 of their 14 pink-ball matches.

Australia will also have the advantage of Mitchell Starc, widely regarded as the world’s most effective bowler with the pink ball. While the pink ball behaves similarly to the red, its reduced visibility under lights poses challenges England have yet to conquer- challenges that now look steeper without their fastest bowler on hand.

–IANS

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