Injury to England Spearhead Opens Door for Tongue
England's Ashes campaign has been dealt a significant blow with news that pace spearhead Mark Wood will miss the second Test in Brisbane due to knee soreness. The 35-year-old quick, who only recently returned from a 15-month Test absence, reported discomfort in his left knee - the same joint that required surgery back in March.
Canberra Performance Turns Heads
While Wood's absence creates a headache for England selectors, it has potentially opened the door for Josh Tongue to make his Ashes debut. The Worcestershire quick was one of only three members of the Test squad who made the trip to Canberra to face the Prime Minister's XI at Manuka Oval.
Although Tongue finished with figures of 0-48 from his overs, he impressed observers with his lively pace on a traditionally batter-friendly Manuka pitch. Bowling without much luck and limited support from his England Lions fielders, the 26-year-old still managed to generate significant speed and movement that troubled the PM's XI batsmen throughout the first day's play.
Tongue's Credentials for Test Recall
Tongue brings respectable Test credentials to the selection table, having taken 31 wickets from his six Tests at an average of 30. His career-best figures of 5-66 came on debut against Ireland, demonstrating his ability to perform at the highest level.
The selection race isn't entirely straightforward though. Matt Potts also pressed his claims during the Canberra fixture, opening the bowling alongside Tongue and finishing with more impressive figures of 2-40 against a PM's XI that declared at 8-308.
England selectors do have alternative options, including the possibility of bringing in a spinner with Shoaib Bashir and Will Jacks both available in the touring squad. However, Tongue's extra pace and his performance on an unresponsive Canberra deck might just give him the edge for what could be a crucial Gabba Test match starting Thursday.
Wood's injury concerns have been mounting throughout the tour, with the speedster also experiencing a hamstring scare in the lead-up to the first Test in Perth. His figures of 0-21 and 0-23 in that match were part of an English bowling effort that ultimately couldn't prevent a collapse in the final innings.
