England’s interim head coach Paul Collingwood has rated Mark Wood “unlikely” to play the Second Test against West Indies in Barbados on Wednesday, but has provided a positive update on Ollie Robinson’s fitness.
England travelled to Barbados today ahead of Wednesday’s Test at Kensington Oval.
On arrival, Wood is set to have a scan on the elbow injury he suffered bowling in West Indies’ first innings of the drawn opener in Antigua. Wood, having played four Ashes Tests already this winter, had an injection in his elbow before coming on this tour.
Wood bowled on the second day, but got through just five overs on the third morning and did not emerge after lunch for the remainder of the match. England said he tried to bowl in the nets on the final morning, but suffered “acute pain”.
“He is sore,” said Collingwood. “We are going to have to get to Barbados, have a look at him then and see what he is going to be like for the rest of the series.
“That [a scan] would be the sensible option. There is an impingement there so I’m sure we will have further investigations.”
Asked to rate Wood’s chances of playing, Collingwood said: ”He has not bowled in the second innings here so you would say it is unlikely but you never know. He recovered really well when he got some tape on there and some anti-inflammatories but we are going to have to see what the investigations say.
“If I was to guess now I would say yes [he is more likely to play in the Third Test in Grenada] but we will have to wait and see what he is like in Barbados.”
Wood’s place appears likely to go the uncapped Saqib Mahmood, but Robinson could also be involved. He pulled up with a back spasm in the warm-up game before the First Test (as he did in the final match of the Ashes, in Hobart), ruling him out in Antigua. He built up his recovery throughout the Test and, by day five, was bowling at something approaching full intensity. He will have two days’ training to prove his fitness in Barbados.
“Ollie is looking pretty positive at the moment,” said Collingwood. “His recovery has been excellent. The backroom staff have done a great job on Ollie and he bowled a couple of spells on day five and is getting the ball through really well so that is looking really positive.”
Collingwood said England would not be calling up bowling cover just yet. Next in line are Liam Norwell of Warwickshire and Essex’s Sam Cook, while David Payne could offer a left-arm option.
“We have Saqqy Mahmood as well and [Matt] Fisher here so not as yet,” he said. “We will have to wait and see how Woody is in Barbados.”
Joining England at training in Barbados will be Jofra Archer, another fast bowler with an elbow injury. He is some way off being ready to play for England, but is undergoing rehabilitation and will train with the squad.
Olly Stone did the same in Antigua for the first leg of the tour, and looked in good order, but will now return to the UK. His target for a return is the Vitality Blast in late May.
