LONDON: Mark Wood says there’s no reason why he and fellow fast bowler Jofra Archer cannot resume their 2019 World Cup-winning alliance during England’s upcoming T20 global title defence.

Wood and Archer were both involved as England defeated New Zealand in a memorable 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s five years ago, with Archer bowling the ‘Super Over’ that sealed a thrilling victory.

But since then, Archer’s career has been blighted by repeated elbow injuries.

Nevertheless, both he and Wood have been included in England’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States.

And there were encouraging signs for England when Archer, in his first international appearance for 14 months, took 2-28 as England beat Pakistan by 23 runs in the second Twenty20 at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Even more impressively, the 29-year-old Sussex quick’s economical return came after an expensive first over, which cost 15 runs.

Victory enabled England to go 1-0 up in a four-match series against Pakistan where two other games have been washed out.

Thursday’s concluding T20 against Pakistan at The Oval will be England’s last competitive games before their T20 World Cup opener against Scotland in Archer’s native Barbados on June 4.

“The mark of Jofra is that he is always in the game, always at people,” said Wood. “He bowled that difficult over (at Edgbaston) — that sixth over is a tough one, it is the last over of the powerplay where the batters are looking to score heavy, and I am sure he would have been nervous.

“He is a pretty cool guy, and as soon as he got that over out of the way he would have settled into the game.”

Wood, whose career has been interrupted by persistent ankle problems, added: “To bowl those next three overs for next to nothing shows a great deal of resilience, which is something he has had to show over the past few years.”

There is a view that playing Archer and Wood in the same England side would constitute too big a risk given their respective history of injuries.

“That’s a question for the management,” said Wood. “But I have played with Jofra before, and I don’t see it’s like me or him. I don’t see why we can’t play together.

“We played together at the 2019 World Cup and things went pretty well. I don’t see why we can’t play in the same team, but maybe it is up to the management to manage our bodies and see how we get through the tournament.”

Wood, meanwhile insisted there would be “no excuses” from the England camp about a lack of preparation after rain meant matches against Pakistan at Headingley and Cardiff were both abandoned without a ball being bowled.

“Obviously, it’s not ideal when you schedule four games and we might only get one or two,” Wood said.

“Some lads have been playing at the IPL (Indian Premier League) and they are match-ready. Other lads haven’t, and the lads that haven’t, is there a freshness?”

The 34-year-old Durham paceman added: One or two of us might feel like we need a game or two to get going, but there will be no excuses...Whatever preparation we get, that is what we are going to have to go with.”

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2024