Mark Wood delivered a performance for the ages as he set new records with his astonishing pace during the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. On Friday, Wood made headlines by achieving the fastest recorded Test over by an England bowler not once but twice in the same match. In his opening over, Wood immediately showcased his formidable speed.
Wood began with a delivery clocked at 93.9 mph (151.1 kmph) to Windies opener Mikyle Louis, followed by a blistering 96.1 mph (154.65 kmph) delivery that left Louis struggling. Mark Wood continued to turn up the heat with subsequent deliveries of 95.2 mph (152.88 kmph) and 92.2 mph (148.06 kmph).
The over reached its peak with a 96.5 mph (155.30 kmph) yorker, which Louis managed to dig out for a single. Wood concluded the over with a final delivery of 95.2 mph (153.20 kmph) to West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite. This remarkable over averaged an impressive 94.40 mph.
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Mark Wood didn’t stop there. In his second over, he further pushed the boundaries of pace, with speeds recorded at 95 mph (152 kmph), 93 mph (149.66 kmph), 95 mph (152 kmph), 96 mph (154.49 kmph), and a blistering 97.1 mph (156.26 kmph). His final delivery in the over was clocked at 94 mph (151.27 kmph). This impressive display not only broke his own records but also demonstrated his relentless pace.
This record has already been beaten… By Mark Wood’s third over 😂 https://t.co/3TUz6lrF5I
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 19, 2024
Last year, Mark Wood had already made a name for himself with similar high speeds. In the third Ashes Test at Headingley, he consistently bowled at speeds reaching up to 97.1 mph, contributing to England’s narrow victory by three wickets. His highest recorded Test delivery speed of 156.6 kmph came against Pakistan in the Multan Test in 2022.
Happy birthday, @MAWood33 🎂
🔥 Fastest Ball: 96.5mph
🚀 First over: 91mph, 93mph, 95mph, 93mph, 94mph, 93mph
🤯 Average pace: 92.9mphThrowback to one of the best spells of the summer 🍿📺 pic.twitter.com/zIvotBL4X5
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 11, 2024
Wood’s speed prowess extends beyond Test cricket. In the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, he delivered the fastest ball of the tournament at 154.74 kmph against New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips. He also dominated the top-10 list for the fastest deliveries of the World Cup, with six deliveries clocked over 153 kmph. His record-setting four-over spell in T20Is against Afghanistan averaged 149.02 kmph, and he had also bowled the fastest delivery of the 2019 ODI World Cup at 154 kmph against New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls in the final at Lord’s.
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In their first innings, England posted a formidable 416 runs in 88.3 overs on Day 1, thanks to notable contributions from Ollie Pope, who scored a century, and Ben Duckett, who added a quick-fire 71. Their efforts included setting a new record for the fastest team fifty in Test cricket, achieved in just 4.2 overs.
