England have received an early boost ahead of the Ashes after Mark Wood was cleared of any hamstring damage following a precautionary scan in Perth. The fast bowler reported stiffness in his left leg during the tourists’ warm-up game against England Lions on Thursday, raising concerns given his recent injury history.
Wood had earlier bowled two four spells on the first day at Lilac Hill Park leave the field with tightness in the same leg he had knee surgery on earlier this year. The 35-year-old has not played a Test since August 2024, first dealing with an elbow problem and then a knee injury that ruled him out for nine months.
A statement from the ECB on Saturday confirmed that the scan showed no cause for concern. “Following precautionary scans on Friday, England fast bowler Mark Wood has been cleared of any concerns regarding his left hamstring. He is not expected to start today, day three of England’s warm-up game against Lions XI at Lilac Hill Park, Perth. Wood will continue training as planned in preparation for the first Test in Perth,” the statement read.
Wood will miss the final day of the tournament but England are confident he will be ready for the opening Test against Australia at Optus Stadium on November 21. His availability is particularly important given England’s desire to pair him with Jofra Archer and unleash high pace on a surface expected to offer bounce.
The good news for England came on the same day Australia confirmed it Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the first Test with a hamstring injury, causing an early setback for the hosts.
England have named five seamers, including Wood and Archer, and no specialist spinner in their warm-up XI, signaling their preferred balance for the Ashes opener. However, management must still weigh the risk of selecting Wood so soon after his return. Should they take a more cautious approach, Josh Tongue is the closest similar replacement, while Shoaib Bashir or Will Jacks offer spin options if England opt for more variety.
The series begins with match 21-25. November in Perth, followed by a day and night Test at the Gabba in Brisbane from December 4. The competition then moves to Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, where England look to reclaim the Ashes on Australian soil.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
November 15, 2025
