Mark Wood reacted to former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar’s suggestion of pulling trucks to hit the 100-mph mark after he played a key role in England's series-clinching 26-run win over Pakistan in Multan.
Wood scalped six wickets, including a match-winning spell of 4/65, during England’s 26-run win over Pakistan in the second Test against England on December 12 in Multan.
He was noticed by Pakistani fast bowling legend Shoaib Akhtar, who was the first to break the 100 mph speed barrier, and Akhtar had said that if Wood wants to bowl 100mph, he need to pull trucks and do heavy weights in training to build up muscle.
Akhtar had told The Telegraph: “A couple of things I have noticed. He loses his follow-through. Thank god he shortened his run-up. He lands on the left foot, and you see often he collapses on the pitch because he cannot control the follow-through. If he is thinking that he cannot bowl more than 155, he is absolutely wrong there! If he wants to bowl 100mph, he needs to start pulling trucks.”
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He added, “I made the pitches about 26 yards. I made a ball about four times heavier than normal. I trained by doing a lot of weights, riding the bicycle with weights on it. I would do about 1000 reps. I noticed I developed muscles that I had never been able to touch before. Little did I know that I was losing my knees, bones and cartilage at the same time. Whoever can bowl 150kph has 10ks in reserve, with the right preparation and the right recuperation.”
Well, reacting to Akhtar's remarks, Wood said that he couldn't pull any truck, but he was pleased to deliver for his team in front of a packed Pakistan crowd in Multan.
As reported by Hindustan Times, Mark Wood stated: “I didn't bowl any stumps out… he said if I wanted to bowl 100mph, I needed to pull trucks. He doesn't know how weak I am. I can't pull any truck. But it's great to replicate someone like him. The crowd have been amazing, they love fast bowling in Pakistan off the back of guys like Shoaib… so it's nice to get that reception.”
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Wood was worried whether he would be able to sustain the toll of all three formats, but after helping England win the second Test against Pakistan in Multan, the star speedster relishes his chances across the formats. The pacer said he would have been disappointed if England lost the Multan Test.
He signed off by saying, “At some my point my body will say that it's the way to go but I didn't prepare for white-ball, I prepared for all cricket. I desperately wanted to experience all this, with Stokesy and Brendon, so I'm pleased I've stuck with it. And I'm pleased we won here. I'd have been gutted if we'd won, I'd come in, and we'd lost. They'd have been pointing fingers at me.”
