Chris Woakes, a seasoned all-rounder, is poised to spearhead England’s bowling attack as they embark on a new era without the legendary James Anderson, according to captain Ben Stokes, who describes Woakes as “phenomenal.”
Anderson bid farewell to international cricket after England’s resounding victory over the West Indies in the first Test at Lord’s, where they triumphed by an innings and 114 runs.
The 41-year-old’s illustrious career saw him claim 704 Test wickets, the highest tally by any fast bowler in the history of the format, across an England record of 188 matches.
England’s bowling arsenal will be without the combined prowess of Anderson and Stuart Broad, who retired after the Ashes series against Australia last year, as they prepare for the second Test at Trent Bridge on Thursday. The duo’s absence means England will be without their collective 1,308 Test wickets.
Thursday’s match will mark the first instance since 2012 that England have played a home Test without the presence of either Anderson or Broad. However, the team can still rely on the seam-bowling expertise of Woakes, who is set to play his 50th Test this week.
The 35-year-old Warwickshire all-rounder boasts an impressive average of 22.04 wickets per Test in red-ball internationals played on home soil.
“I see it as an opportunity for someone like Woakesy to take on more of a leadership role in the bowling unit,” AFP quoted Stokes as saying in a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
“We’ve been so used to Jimmy and Broady doing that, so it’s a great opportunity for him. He’s a very experienced player and a phenomenal performer, particularly in England.
“It’s great for him to be able to lead the attack and 50 caps is a huge honour.”
Stokes has the luxury of selecting two fast bowlers for the upcoming Test match.
Gus Atkinson, a promising young talent, showcased his skills in his debut Test, capturing 12 wickets while consistently bowling at speeds around 90mph (145kph). His performance was particularly impressive given the occasion, which marked the farewell of the legendary James Anderson.
Alongside Atkinson, Stokes can also rely on the raw pace of Mark Wood. Known for his ability to generate even higher speeds than Atkinson, Wood is expected to be the sole change to the England team from the first Test, effectively replacing Anderson in the lineup.
As England embarks on a rebuilding phase with a focus on the 2025/26 Ashes series in Australia, Stokes is excited about the prospect of having both Atkinson and Wood at his disposal for an extended period. Their presence in the team provides England with a formidable pace attack, which could prove crucial in their future endeavors.
“It’s very exciting, the prospect of seeing Gus Atkinson bowl at one end and Mark Wood at the other,” said Stokes.
“Look at the way Gus bowled last week, it’s not only the 12 wickets, it’s finding another bowler who can bowl between 87-90mph.
“Woody is someone who had an unbelievable summer last year in the Ashes,” added Stokes, with his Durham team-mate taking 14 wickets in three matches as England fought back to draw the five-Test series 2-2.
“He was a massive player for us with a huge impact and everyone knows why — because of his pace.”
England might need to make an eleventh-hour adjustment to their lineup if opening batsman Ben Duckett’s partner goes into labor prior to the coin toss on Thursday. In such a scenario, Dan Lawrence is prepared to step in as a substitute.
“There’s a plan in place for Ben and his partner,” said Stokes. “We’ll just have to make a decision if it was to happen before the game started.”
Anderson bid farewell to international cricket after England’s resounding victory over the West Indies in the first Test at Lord’s, where they triumphed by an innings and 114 runs.
The 41-year-old’s illustrious career saw him claim 704 Test wickets, the highest tally by any fast bowler in the history of the format, across an England record of 188 matches.
England’s bowling arsenal will be without the combined prowess of Anderson and Stuart Broad, who retired after the Ashes series against Australia last year, as they prepare for the second Test at Trent Bridge on Thursday. The duo’s absence means England will be without their collective 1,308 Test wickets.
Thursday’s match will mark the first instance since 2012 that England have played a home Test without the presence of either Anderson or Broad. However, the team can still rely on the seam-bowling expertise of Woakes, who is set to play his 50th Test this week.
The 35-year-old Warwickshire all-rounder boasts an impressive average of 22.04 wickets per Test in red-ball internationals played on home soil.
“I see it as an opportunity for someone like Woakesy to take on more of a leadership role in the bowling unit,” AFP quoted Stokes as saying in a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
“We’ve been so used to Jimmy and Broady doing that, so it’s a great opportunity for him. He’s a very experienced player and a phenomenal performer, particularly in England.
“It’s great for him to be able to lead the attack and 50 caps is a huge honour.”
Stokes has the luxury of selecting two fast bowlers for the upcoming Test match.
Gus Atkinson, a promising young talent, showcased his skills in his debut Test, capturing 12 wickets while consistently bowling at speeds around 90mph (145kph). His performance was particularly impressive given the occasion, which marked the farewell of the legendary James Anderson.
Alongside Atkinson, Stokes can also rely on the raw pace of Mark Wood. Known for his ability to generate even higher speeds than Atkinson, Wood is expected to be the sole change to the England team from the first Test, effectively replacing Anderson in the lineup.
As England embarks on a rebuilding phase with a focus on the 2025/26 Ashes series in Australia, Stokes is excited about the prospect of having both Atkinson and Wood at his disposal for an extended period. Their presence in the team provides England with a formidable pace attack, which could prove crucial in their future endeavors.
“It’s very exciting, the prospect of seeing Gus Atkinson bowl at one end and Mark Wood at the other,” said Stokes.
“Look at the way Gus bowled last week, it’s not only the 12 wickets, it’s finding another bowler who can bowl between 87-90mph.
“Woody is someone who had an unbelievable summer last year in the Ashes,” added Stokes, with his Durham team-mate taking 14 wickets in three matches as England fought back to draw the five-Test series 2-2.
“He was a massive player for us with a huge impact and everyone knows why — because of his pace.”
England might need to make an eleventh-hour adjustment to their lineup if opening batsman Ben Duckett’s partner goes into labor prior to the coin toss on Thursday. In such a scenario, Dan Lawrence is prepared to step in as a substitute.
“There’s a plan in place for Ben and his partner,” said Stokes. “We’ll just have to make a decision if it was to happen before the game started.”