Ben Stokes Believes Mark Wood Can Surpass The 100mph Milestone Soon

Ben Stokes expressed his preference for playing alongside Mark Wood rather than facing him, as he anticipates the fast bowler breaking the 100mph barrier soon.

During the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge, Wood clocked a career-best 97.1mph on the speed gun. His opening spell was electrifying, with none of his deliveries falling below 90mph. This culminated in a fierce delivery that dismissed Kevin Sinclair on Sunday.

Sinclair's dismissal was dramatic; he could only fend off Wood's delivery into the air, resulting in a simple catch. Unfortunately, this blow fractured Sinclair's left forearm, ruling him out of the third Test at Edgbaston.

England captain Ben Stokes is confident that there is more to come from Wood, which poses a significant threat to their opponents. "He's got it in the tank," Stokes remarked. "He's been close a couple of times. Maybe one day."

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Historical Context and Future Expectations

Shoaib Akthar and Shaun Tait are the only Test bowlers to have delivered a ball at 100mph. Wood's speed will be crucial for The Ashes series in Australia at the end of next year and early 2026.

"He seems to be getting closer and closer to that," Stokes added. "But I'm happy with what he's doing right now to be honest."

Wood's Consistent Performance

Stokes praised Wood's ability to maintain high speeds consistently. "Being able to sustain that pace is quite phenomenal," he said. "Look at his average speeds every time he plays a Test match – it's always above 90mph. That says a lot about his fitness."

"It's all fine and well trying to bowl one spell above 90. But every spell he bowls for England, he's clocking over 90mph, and that's a great thing to have as a captain."

Potential for Breaking Records

Stokes speculated on whether Wood is concerned about breaking the 100mph mark. "I don't know if he's actually too bothered about it," he said. "One day, everything might click, or the speed gun might be wrong."

"We probably wouldn't hear the end of it. Who knows, maybe one day."

Wood is expected to showcase his pace again after Stokes named an unchanged XI for the third and final Test at Edgbaston, starting on Friday.