Defending World Cup at 34 is my goal and this break can help me, says Chris Woakes

HUW TURBERVILL: Woakes took seven wickets at 25.71 in his two Tests last winter, a considerable improvement on his overall stats – he now has 70 Test wickets at 23.45 in 19 home Tests, and 25 at 51.68 away

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but Chris Woakes didn’t need to tell the IPL he wasn’t coming this year. It looks as if the coronavirus crisis would have prevented him playing for Delhi Capitals anyway, and he could have stayed in their good books.

There is nothing he can do about that now, however, and when he explains his reasoning it seems entirely logical. He and his wife are expecting their second child in September and this break, which would have happened with or without lockdown, has afforded him a rest that ultimately could prove crucial in his later career.

Woakes is 31, now has 95 wickets from 33 Tests, has just enjoyed a ‘breakthrough winter’, and hopes that he can help defend the 50-over World Cup in India in three years’ time.

“I want to play for England for as long as possible,” he said on the latest Zoom catch-up, organised by the ECB. “At the minute it doesn’t quite look like I’m going to get a go in T20 unless something drastic happens in terms of injuries. I’d probably have to have had an unbelievable summer [to make the World Cup in Australia in October]. But for England in general I want to play as many Tests and ODIs as possible. 

“I feel like I’m young enough. I’ve had the odd injury but most fast bowlers do. My body is in as good a place as it has been for years. I haven’t lost any games due to injury for quite a while. I’ve put in some hard yards off the field. The immediate goal is to just try and stay in the team. Competition is high, there are a lot of fast bowlers knocking around.”

Woakes took seven wickets at 25.71 in his two Tests last winter, a considerable improvement on his overall stats – he now has 70 Test wickets at 23.45 in 19 home Tests, and 25 at 51.68 away.

He credits guest bowling coach Darren Gough – in New Zealand – and head coach Chris Silverwood for helping him.

“I’m the first to admit my away record hasn’t been as good as my home. The stats suggest that quite clearly. In the past when I’ve played away I haven’t really had a huge amount of opportunity and a lot of the time it’s been the odd Test here, the odd Test there, with a lot in the subcontinent where fast bowlers don’t tend to play a huge role.

“I certainly haven’t bowled as well away from home, and I probably haven’t had quite the skills I’d like, but I feel like [the stats] are a bit harsh. But this winter was a breakthrough for me. I did some work with Chris and Darren on my lengths.

“In the past I’ve probably been a bit safe and bowled a little short whereas actually with the Kookaburra you still have to give it a chance to move laterally and get it up there – try to drive it into that fuller length. I also had the opportunity to bowl with a newer ball which, particularly with the Kookaburra, can help. It hasn’t been drastic changes to the way I bowl abroad but it’s more of the mindset, trying to attack a bit more.

^{Darren Gough worked with England's bowlers through the winter}

“You know Goughie, you can imagine he was quite light-hearted, always having a joke and a bit of banter. The boys gave it back to him as much as he gave it out to be brutally honest. He was good fun, a breath of fresh air.

“He drilled home to me that you can be two different bowlers. In different conditions you need to find what works for you. He didn’t rely too much on the technical side, it was more tactical. He had some success all around the world (124 wickets at 29.66 at home, 105 at 25.90 away).

“Although he was a different bowler to me, he still changed the way he bowled in different conditions. He said I needed to bowl a fuller length away from home. Be attacking rather than having that mindset of risk-reward. Don’t get me wrong, cricket is a simple game in that you still try to hit the top of off as many times as possible, but it’s about being accurate and aggressive at the same time.”

On the prospects of making the next 50-over World Cup, he said: “2023 seems a long way away – I’ve always tried to focus on the near future and not look too far ahead. But I’d be lying if I said I don’t want to be a part of that team. It would be a great honour to try and defend a World Cup.”

He says he will try to emulate Liam Plunkett, who was 34 last summer. “Pudsy is one of these players who constantly proves people wrong,” said Woakes.

“There was competition for places and talk as to who would miss out. All names were mentioned. He proved his worth. He always produced the goods when we really needed it, particularly in the final stages in those games we needed to win, and the final of course. I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as he did on his fitness – he was the ultimate professional.”

Woakes is also keen to clarify that he hopes he can still play in the IPL and other franchise tournaments at some stage. “By no means do I feel like I’m finished in T20. I’d still love to play in the IPL. In hindsight I probably didn’t need to pull out. I didn’t say it at the time but we’re expecting another baby in September and that added to the decision.

“My wife wasn’t well at home. The idea of being away from home for three months was going to be too much. Family had to come first. I want to play as much cricket as I can moving forward while looking after my body. My England career is No.1 but if opportunities come up, I’d still like to play in them.”

^{Edgbaston, Woakes' home ground, is being used as an NHS drive-through testing centre for NHS workers}

He said talk of playing for England behind closed doors later this summer – at venues with hotels like the Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford, would “at least give the public something to watch and hopefully entertain some who are missing it a lot”.

“We’d want a three-week block [of preparation] to get overs in your legs to be able to back up a 20-over day in a Test. But again that might not be possible either. So I think two weeks would probably be the minimum.

“If they said it was going to be for three months, players might not be too keen. But if it was a three to four-week window, I think guys would be open to do that without too many issues.”

That also might involve some social distancing. “You saw during the early days of the Sri Lanka tour… that we were trying our hardest not to make contact with each other and not shaking hands.”

And not putting saliva on the ball?

“I try and use as much sweat as possible rather than putting your hands in your mouth just from a normal hygiene point of view. But I think it could potentially change the way things work with the ball.”

Woakes also says that the squad have been wondering if they had coronavirus around Christmas, when the England dressing room looked like a scene from M*A*S*H.

He says during the lockdown he has “jumped on the cycling bandwagon – going down the Lycra route”. “With my knee injury that I have to look after as much as possible, running on the road isn’t necessarily great.”

Let’s hope Woakes also has some cricket to gear up to soon.

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