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I want to start by asking a question, to see how many know the answer: how many Tests have express bowlers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer have played together for England?
Feel free to have a guess then read on.
Mark Wood aged 35 has played 37 Tests since his debut in 2015. He’s taken 119 wickets at 30.42.
Jofra Archer aged 29 has played 13 Tests since his unforgettable debut in the Ashes 2019. He’s taken 42 wickets at 31.04.
Their time in Tests together has played out as a traditional British tragi-comedy.
Let’s start with the tragedy. It’s well known both players have been cut down by repeated injuries.
Wood suffered an ankle injury in 2015 which required three operations. In 2017 he missed a few tests with heel awareness. In 2019 he missed the entire Ashes series and was out for the year with back and knee issues.
In 2022 and 2024 he required elbow surgery, with the latest operation to rectify a bone stress injury.
Archer was out for 12 months from 2021 with an elbow injury. In 2022 he was ruled out with a stress fracture of the back. In 2023, he missed the Ashes with another stress fracture in the right elbow. His most recent Test was in 2021.
Jofra Archer. (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
It’s the sort of thing that other lightning quicks Frank Tyson (17 Tests), Shane Bond (18 Tests), Brett Schultz (9 Tests), Ian Bishop (43 Tests) and Simon Jones (18 Tests) can relate to.
Honestly, who would want to be a fast bowler?
But back to the question. If you said Archer and Wood had played one Test together, you’re correct. Give yourself a virtual high five.
The lone Test they played together, like all things English cricket, is where the comedy comes in.
It was the first (of three) home Tests against the Windies in 2020. England would have been salivating at the thought of finally unleashing these two against Jason Holder’s men at the Southampton Rose Bowl.
England batted first and scored 204. Shannon Gabriel, who finished his career with 166 wickets from 59 Tests, took six wickets.
Captain Holder took four. Surely, with Gabriel and Holder taking all 10, imagine what Archer Wood would do to the Windies.
Mark Wood celebrates dismissing Travis Head. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Answer: not much. The Windies scored 318 in response. Archer 0/61 off 22 and Wood 1/74 off 21.
Wood’s wicket? Number 11, Shannon Gabriel.
Gabriel then took another five in England’s second innings, and the Windies chased down the required 200 with six wickets down. Archer took 3/45 and Wood 1/36.
England’s ‘Bazball’ is super keen to reunite the two for the Ashes. But will it be as devastating as they hope?
Well it is not in England. So no. In that 2020 Test, Archer and Wood took as many wickets as the Windies skipper.
It’s disappointing these two have had their careers distrusted so much by injury. But does the hype live up to the hope? Both have had repeated surgeries on their elbow and back injuries. Wood is in his mid-30s and Archer has played 13 Tests since 2019.
From a cricket fan’s perspective, it would be great if Archer and Wood were fit and firing come the Ashes.
Then we can all enjoy beating a full-strength England team 5-0 yet again.
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