Australia 'huge' for England after washout - Wood

Mark Wood trainsImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

England v Australia is live on BBC Test Match Special on BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Sports Extra on Saturday from 17:45 BST, with text commentary and in-play video clips on the BBC Sport website and app

  • Published

England bowler Mark Wood says Saturday's meeting with Australia is "huge" after their washout against Scotland on Tuesday.

The abandonment meant England and Scotland took a point each from the game.

Defeat against Australia in Barbados would potentially make the final two games against Namibia and Oman must-win for the defending champions.

"It is obviously a huge game with what is coming up," Wood told the BBC.

"It is a game you never normally need to get up for because they are your rivals and all of that stuff but it is now a game that takes even more importance because of the points."

The top two sides from each group progress to the Super 8 phase.

Namibia are currently top of Group B after they beat Oman in a super over on Sunday while Australia play their first match of the tournament against Oman later on Wednesday (01:30 BST on Thursday).

After Australia, England play Oman on Thursday 13 June and Namibia two days later, with both matches in Antigua.

"[Against Australia] it is a big chance for us if we get points on the board," Wood said.

"If we don’t that makes everything crucial and you have to win by margins [to improve net run-rate] - again with weather around."

Just 10 overs were possible in England's meeting with Scotland, with the lower-ranked side impressing by reaching 90-0 in 10 overs.

Coach Matthew Mott admitted England were "sloppy" in the field, while Wood had opener George Munsey caught off a no-ball.

Wood said he will "address it in training" over the coming days.

"I bowled 13 balls yesterday, and one of them is a wicket and it’s the one I’ve no-balled," Wood said.

"If any of the others was the no-ball, I’m probably sitting here thinking, it’s not a problem, but because I’m getting the wicket off that ball it hurts the team.

"That’s what disappoints me.

"He [Munsey] reverse-sweeps Rash [Adil Rashid] and every time that's happening I'm thinking 'oh no, that's my fault again'.

"That's the feeling I don't like, letting down my team-mates."

Listen to live Test Match Special commentary of Australia v Oman from 01:15 BST on Thursday on BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website & app and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.