Mark Wood's 3 best Test bowling performances against Australia

Cricket's oldest rivalry, the Ashes, has lived up to its hype thus far, with the opening two Tests at Edgbaston and Lord's going down to the wire. The World Test champions, Australia, displayed great fortitude by dethroning the home side on both occasions by the slimmest margins of two wickets and 43 runs.

Faced with a 0-2 debacle, several questions have been asked of the English bowling attack and the exclusion of their fastest bowler, Mark Wood, in both the Tests. While the hosts went with three pacers and a spinner in the first Test, they sprung a surprise by fielding a four-pronged pace attack at Lord's.

Despite the move, Wood still did not find a place in the playing XI, much to the disappointment of experts and fans. Finally, with the Ashes seemingly slipping away and veteran James Anderson struggling for form, the Durham pacer is likely to be drafted into the side for Headingley.

Aside from numerous nagging injuries, the 33-year-old has been a difference-maker for England with his extra pace and skiddy deliveries, causing even the best of batters to rush.

Since making his Test debut in 2015, Wood has only played 28 matches for England. The speedster has picked up 90 wickets at a passable average of 30.88, with 27 scalps coming against the Australians.

Mark Wood has not played a single Test for England this year but had arguably his best season a year ago, scalping 21 wickets at an average of 23.85 in five games.

As we build up to the potential return of Mark Wood into the England Test side, let us go down memory lane and relive his three best Test bowling performances against Australia.

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#3 1/76 and 2/65 in Sydney, 2022

Mark Wood picked up Marnus Labuschagne in both innings at the SCG.

England entered the New Year's Test in Sydney on the back of a hammering in the three previous matches to find themselves 0-3 down in the 2021/22 Ashes series. Desperate to avoid another series whitewash Down-Under similar to 2006/07 and 2013/14, England looked toward Mark Wood's extra pace as the cutting edge needed to dismantle the in-form Australian batting lineup.

Despite finishing with the lone wicket of star batter Marnus Labuschagne in the first innings, Wood bowled with great pace and hostility to trouble the Aussie batters. Looking down and out again after conceding a first-innings lead of 122, Wood steamed in and struck two vitals blows in Australia's second essay.

First, he nicked off dangerman David Warner with a pacy 146 km/hr delivery before removing Labuschagne for the second time in the match. The delivery to Labuschagne took off from a length at a good pace and took the outside edge down to the keeper, reducing Australia to 68/3.

However, despite Wood's fiery spell, Australia recovered and set England a steep target of 388. The visitors barely managed to come out with a draw, finishing at 270/9 in 102 overs.

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#2 2/66 and 2/53 at Cardiff, 2015

Mark Wood powered England to a thumping victory against Australia at Cardiff in 2015

The Ashes 2015 came about when the two teams were at opposite ends of the cricketing spectrum. Australia were fresh off their fifth ODI World Cup triumph, while England were coming off arguably their worst campaign at the mega event.

The hosts were desperate for an Ashes series win after the 0-5 mauling in Australia in the previous Ashes and the World Cup debacle. Winning a good toss at Cardiff, England posted a formidable total of 430 in their first innings.

In reply, the visitors were going great guns at 180/2 when Mark Wood changed the bowling angle to dismiss the well-set Chris Rogers for 95. It was his first Ashes wicket and led to an Aussie collapse that saw them lose their final eight wickets for 128 to get bowled out for 308.

Wood then returned to produce a match-winning spell of 2/53, including the wickets of Adam Voges and Shane Watson to propel England to a convincing 169-run victory and a 1-0 series lead.

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#1 3/115 and 6/37 at Hobart, 2022

Wood recorded his best Test bowling figures at Hobart.

The day-night Test at Hobart in the 2021/22 Ashes was undoubtedly Mark Wood's finest performance with the red ball. Down 0-3 after the first four Tests, England were searching for inspiration to salvage some of their lost pride.

Mark Wood stepped up to the party to pick up nine wickets in the game, including a six-fer in a hostile spell of bowling in the second innings. The speedster picked up three wickets to restrict the hosts to 303 in their first stance.

After another sorry batting display by England, conceding a lead of 115 runs, Wood took center stage. He picked up Usman Khawaja late on Day 2 and followed it up with the colossal wickets of Travis Head and Steve Smith early on the third morning to reduce Australia to 63/6 in the 29th over.

Wood later returned to clean up the tail and finish with incredible figures of 6/37 in 16.3 overs. His magnificent performance helped England bowl out Australia for just 155, leaving them with a target of 271 to win.

Unfortunately for the visitors, the batters surrendered meekly yet again to be bowled out for a dismal 124 in their final innings to lose their fourth game in the five-match series.

However, the result notwithstanding, Wood's sensational display of fast bowling had several Australian batters rattled and ducking for cover.