England allay Mark Wood fears

GEORGE DOBELL IN ANTIGUA: The tourists say the Durham quick could bowl again in the first Test after Steve Harmison admitted he would be "very surprised" if he played again in the series

England have played down fears that Mark Wood’s Caribbean tour could be over by insisting he could yet bowl again in the first Test in Antigua.

Wood was forced off the pitch during West Indies’ first innings after struggling with a sore elbow. The suggestion his tour could be over came after Steve Harmison, his former Durham colleague revealed the pair had spoken on Thursday (March 10) night and described Wood as “devastated”.

“He’s devastated, all the more so because he’s gone so well for so long,” Harmison said on talkSPORT. “He’s frustrated. He couldn’t straighten his elbow, there’s a bit of swelling.

“He [Wood] hopes to get in a spell or two in the second innings but I’d be very surprised if we see him in Barbados and Grenada. He’s hoping Grenada is not out of the question.”

The England camp subsequently released a more upbeat update, which stated that Wood had not undergone a scan and there was no thought, at this stage, of sending for a replacement.

^{Harmison spoke with Wood after the close on day three of the first Test (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

“He is continuing to receive treatment and will remain working with the medical team for the rest of this innings until he needs to bat,” a spokesperson said. “The plan is that he will work towards bowling in the WI second innings. There is no plan for a scan at this stage and no discussion around replacements.”

The England management also issued a positive update about Ollie Robinson. Robinson missed the first Test after suffering a back spasm during the warm-up game but has returned to bowling in the last few days.

“Ollie is making great progress,” Paul Collingwood, the interim head coach, said. “He bowled a good spell on Thursday morning and he’ll have a couple of spells today [Friday]. I’m hopeful that he can be there and thereabouts for the second Test.”

While the England management have not confirmed the identity of those players put on standby should replacements be required, it is understood that Warwickshire seamer Liam Norwell is among them.

The second Test starts in Barbados on Wednesday, March 16. The third starts in Grenada on March 24.