Mark Wood's persistent elbow injury leaves England sweating over fitness

GEORGE DOBELL IN ANTIGUA: Wood was forced off the pitch on the second day of the match and was unable to bowl in the second West Indies innings on day five

Fears over Mark Wood’s ability to take any further part in England’s Caribbean tour have grown after it was confirmed he would not bowl on the final day of the first Test.

Wood, who is by some distance England’s quickest bowler, was forced off the pitch on the second day of the match after experiencing pain in his right elbow.

He abandoned an attempt to bowl in the nets ahead of play on the fifth day after experiencing “acute pain”, in the words of an England spokesperson, having delivered “approximately six deliveries”.

England captain, Joe Root, would have been aware of Wood’s lack of availability before deciding to make his relatively bold declaration in Antigua. Root set West Indies a target of 286 in a minimum of 70 overs.

With only three full days between Tests (the second Test starts in Barbados on March 16), news of Wood’s “acute” pain must render him a huge doubt for the game.

^{Ollie Robinson is making decent progress after a back problem (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

A key player in all formats of the game, it seems unthinkable England will take any risks with his recovery. The injury must also render him a doubt for the Indian Premier League. He signed for Lucknow Supergiants in a £735,000 deal.

It remains unclear when Wood first experienced pain in the elbow. Paul Collingwood, the England interim head coach, said it was a “fresh” injury a couple of days ago, but it is understood Wood had an injection into the elbow ahead of the tour and first became aware of it towards the end of the Australia trip.

While the England camp stressed they had yet to make plans to call up a replacement, it is understood Liam Norwell is on standby. Norwell was Warwickshire’s top wicket-taker as the club won the 2021 County Championship. He also impressed on the Lions tour in Australia.

There was better news of Ollie Robinson, though. Although Robinson missed this game with a recurrence of the back problem which forced him into a peripheral role in the final Ashes Test in Hobart, he is back to bowling at something approaching full fitness in training in Antigua.

Olly Stone has also bowled at decent pace in training, though it is understood he is still a couple of months from a competitive return.