Wood 'closer and closer' to 100mph, says Stokes

Ben Stokes and Mark Wood are county team-mates at Durham

England captain Ben Stokes says fast bowler Mark Wood is getting “closer and closer” to breaking the 100mph barrier.

Wood, 34, was shown to have reached 97.1mph in an electrifying spell on the second morning of the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge last week.

The Durham man’s top recorded speed is 97.73mph, while only three bowlers are thought to have been clocked at 100mph or more in an international match.

"He's got it in the tank," said Stokes. "He's been close a couple of times. Maybe one day."

Wood has been named in an unchanged England team for the third Test against the Windies, which begins on Friday.

Asked if he was surprised Wood is able to register 97mph, Stokes said: “It’s not surprising. It’s great to watch. I’d much rather have him in my team than having to have my helmet and pads on facing him as an opposition.”

Wood averaged 94.47mph in the second over of his first spell last Friday morning at Trent Bridge, the fastest recorded over by an England bowler in a home Test.

His fastest delivery of 97.73mph was bowled to David Warner in the Boxing Day Ashes Test of 2021.

Measuring accurate bowling speeds is difficult. The three bowlers to have topped 100mph, all in limited-overs cricket, are Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan and Australian duo Brett Lee and Shaun Tait. However, data analysts Cricviz dispute these speeds.

The fastest recorded delivery to take a wicket in Test cricket was 99.3mph by Australia’s Mitchell Johnson to dismiss New Zealand’s Jeetan Patel, now an assistant coach with England, in 2010.

Stokes said Wood is "always looking up at the big screen" to check his speeds and the skipper "wouldn't hear the end of it" if the 100mph mark is broken.

"He seems to be getting closer and closer to that," added Stokes. "One day everything might click or the speed gun might be wrong. Who knows?

"But I'm happy with what he's doing right now. Being able to sustain that pace is quite phenomenal.

"His average speed every time he plays a Test match is always above 90mph. That says a lot about his fitness.

"It's all fine and well trying to bowl one spell above 90 but every spell he bowls for England he's clocking over 90mph and that's a great thing to have as a captain."