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England pacer Olly Stone admitted that it will be tough to replicate the speeds clocked by Mark Wood as he prepares for his return to Test cricket. The right-arm speedster said watching Wood run in and bowl this summer has been extremely exciting.
Wood suffered a thigh muscle strain during the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford in Manchester, rendering him unavailable for the rest of the series. Stone will take his spot for the second Test at Lord's, beginning on August 29 as England make just one change to their XI.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the second Test, the 30-year-old promised to try his best to replicate Wood's speeds. As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he stated:
"It's been pretty frightening… the way he's come in and bowled this summer is very exciting. Hopefully, I can go out there and try to touch his speeds. He's obviously up there with the fastest in the world so I'm not sure if I'll match it - but I'll give it a good shot."
The Northamptonshire seamer made his Test debut in 2019, but has played only three matches in the longest format so far, the last of which came in 2021 against New Zealand. However, he has promising first-class numbers, bagging 167 wickets in 52 fixtures at 27.07 apiece.
"I just love the slog of that hard graft" - Olly Stone
Stone remarked that he has been waiting to return to Test cricket for a long time and loves the format, given how it examines a player on multiple levels. He said:
"I just love the feeling of coming off after a long four or five days, on the back of a hard-fought win. It's more than just skill at times: it's your character, and the way you are out there as a team for those four or five days. It's something that white-ball cricket can't give you. I just love the slog of that hard graft, going out there and providing your team with something different to help you try to win the game."
Sri Lanka put up a good fight in the opening Test, but the hosts managed to seal a five-wicket win on Day 4. However, Ollie Pope and his men will still need to be at their best at Lord's to clinch the series.
