ENGLAND IN NEW ZEALAND, 2018

Wood sent for precautionary scan on injured ankle

by Rob Johnston • Last updated on

The England management will be worried by Wood's latest setback. © Getty

England's Mark Wood has been sent for a 'precautionary' scan on the injured left ankle which ruled him out of the first ODI against New Zealand in Hamilton on Sunday (February 25) raising further questions about the fast-bowler's durability.

Wood has had three previous ankle surgeries and has missed plenty of cricket since his England debut in 2015, playing just ten Tests, 23 ODIs and four T20Is in that time. Although captain Eoin Morgan was keen to play down the latest injury, the Durham man's participation in the rest of the ODI series, the second match of which is on Wednesday (February 28) in Mount Maunganui, is unknown.

"It's not a serious concern at the moment," Mogan said after the match in Hamilton. "He's picked up a soreness over the last couple of days and wasn't worth the risk today. We'll see how he is over the next 24 hours to see whether he can play in the next game or build a plan as to when he can come back."

After being ruled out of much of 2016 with ankle problems - he played just four ODIs that year - Wood missed much of the last home summer too after injuring his heel in the second Test against South Africa at Trent Bridge last July. That injury failed to clear up in time for him to prove his fitness with Durham ahead of the Ashes series and the selectors felt unable to select him for the squad as a result.

Although Wood spent the latter part of the tour travelling and training with the England team, he was not considered for any of the Test matches. Instead, he made his international comeback during the ODI section of the trip, and despite only taking four wickets from four matches at an average of 52, impressed with his pace and aggression.

England's management and Wood himself will no doubt be worried by this latest setback and it once again raises fears that the 28-year-old's body is simply not up to the rigours of fast-bowling. The injury not only puts his participation in the rest of the ODI series in jeopardy but also raises questions about whether he will be able to fulfil his IPL deal for Chennai Super Kings.

It also leaves England's one-day attack shorn of pace. Wood is the only genuinely quick bowler that Morgan has at his disposal and with Liam Plunkett's withdrawal from the squad, also because of injury, England's seam bowling line-up for the first match in Hamilton - David Willey, Chris Woakes and Tom Curran - looked rather one-paced.

© Cricbuzz

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