NEWS
Follow UsMark Wood was ruled out of the fourth day’s play on Saturday (August 24) of the Manchester Test between England and Sri Lanka, confirmed the England cricket team.
Wood pulled out of his run-up while bustling in for the third ball of his 11th over, the 56th over of Sri Lanka’s innings. Experiencing discomfort in his right thigh, the 34-year-old walked off the field, with Joe Root completing his over and also picking the wicket of Milan Rathnayake.
While Wood walked off without any support, England found it better to save Wood for the later part of the series considering he has had a number of injuries before. He was taken to hospital for scans to get more clarity about his injury.
A media release from England Cricket stated, "England pace bowler Mark Wood has sustained a right thigh muscle injury late on the third day of the first Rothesay Test against Sri Lanka at Emirates Old Trafford.
"He will not return to the field today and will continue to be assessed by the England medical team to determine the full extent of the injury."
Wood’s absence would be a sigh of relief for the Sri Lanka batters who are fighting to keep their team in the hunt. They finished Day 3 at 204/6, leading by 82 runs with Kamindu Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal in the middle.
Chandimal was dealt a lethal blow to his right thumb by a bouncer from Wood. The right-hander was taken to the hospital where the scans showcased no fracture, allowing Chandimal to return to bat in the final half an hour after Rathnayake’s departure.
On a pitch that has shown inconsistent bounce off the good length area, Wood not bowling might just be the boost Sri Lanka needed.
Wood’s figures in the second innings read 10.2-1-36-1, picking the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne.
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