LONDON: England captain Ben Stokes believes fast bowler Mark Wood is close to breaking the 100mph mark.
Wood, who recently turned 34, clocked an impressive 97.1mph during a blistering spell on the second morning of the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge last week.
Wood’s fastest recorded delivery is 97.73 mph, with only three bowlers, including Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait, breaking the 100 mph mark in international cricket.
“He’s got it in the tank,” Stokes said. “He was close a couple of times. Maybe once.”
For the upcoming third Test against the Windies starting on Friday, Wood will retain his place in the unchanged England squad.
Reflecting on Wood’s speed, Stokes expressed no surprise, saying: “It’s not surprising. It’s great to watch. I’d much rather have him on my team than have a helmet and pads on against him.”
During his first spell at Trent Bridge, Wood averaged 94.47 mph in the second over, the fastest recorded by an England bowler in a home Test. His record delivery of 97.73 mph was delivered to David Warner during the 2021 Boxing Day Ashes Test.
While accurate measurement of bowling speed can be challenging, Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait are credited with exceeding 100 mph in limited-overs cricket, although data analysts Cricviz dispute these figures.
