Mark Wood vs Matthew Potts - who should replace James Anderson in England's 11 in 2nd Test vs West Indies?
For the first time in a long time, England will field a bowling attack without both James Anderson and Stuart Broad in home conditions. It will evoke a strange feeling, but with one eye on the future, England are bound to welcome the unknown.
The fact that England already have a selection debate on their hands right after James Anderson's retirement, shows how much resources they do have to forge a new pace bowling attack. With Gus Atkinson set to retain his place after his debut heroics and Chris Woakes now being the senior-most bowler, having the first shot at the red cherry, England need a third seamer to round up the attack. Skipper Ben Stokes bowling 18 overs in the first Test is also a huge bonus.
The sole spot in the bowling department now comes down to a neck-to-neck battle between Mark Wood and Matthew Potts. The former was included in the squad right after the conclusion of the first Test while the latter played his last Test in 2023.
On that note, let us take a look at who should England consider between Mark Wood and Matthew Potts for the upcoming second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
#1 More of express pace vs old-school grit
England already have an express pacer in Gus Atkinson, but they have an advanced version of it in the form of Mark Wood. Now are two speedsters an overkill? By no means whatsoever in conditions like England. West Indies' fragile batting unit struggled to deal with Atkinson, and they are about to face a bigger headache in the form of Wood.
The first time the Men in Maroon had to deal with Wood, four years ago, they were skittled out. The speedster ended up with figures of 5/41 in just 8.2 overs. While he has not been among the wickets against the West Indies since then, the plan will be clear. Make the inexperienced batters as uncomfortable and unsettled as possible, while Woakes and Atkinson chip away from the other end.
That being said, Potts also comes with qualities of his own. Although not a like-to-like replacement for Anderson, he is still closer to the legendary bowler than Wood is.
Potts can also be used as a weapon to contain the West Indies batters with his accuracy and his ability to move the ball off the surface after pitching. He and Woakes bowling in tandem could result in a tight spell, giving the West Indies no room to operate.
However, comparing the skillsets of both players, Wood has a slight upper hand because he brings that X-factor ability with himself, something that stands out and is equally effective.
#2 Current form
Mark Wood has not had a memorable year so far. He endured a horrid tour of India, where he picked only four wickets in three Tests, and remained wicketless across four innings. He skipped the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) and had a mixed campaign for England in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he was dropped midway through the tournament.
Matthew Potts, on the other hand, has been grinding in the County Championship after he fizzled away in the international scene. He was left out of the Ashes series in 2023 and was not in consideration for the India tour. The right-arm pacer recently bagged 10 wickets across his last two County clashes for Durham.
With 21 wickets in seven matches so far at an average of 33.90 and an economy of 3.44, he is Durham's second-leading wicket-taker.
As far as form, and flow in red-ball cricket is concerned, Potts has the advantage over Wood.
#3 The Ashes obsession
It seems like England are simultaneously playing two series at the same time, one against the West Indies at home, and the other one in the future away against Australia somehow. Skipper Ben Stokes has already emphasized the importance of that tour, with James Anderson's 'forced' retirement being the first act.
The team felt it pertinent to include Gus Atkinson in the mix right now, so that he can be ready for the surfaces in Australia close to 18 months from now. Chris Woakes recently expressed his interest in opening the bowling for England in Australia, and with his skillset being a bit different from the rest, it does make sense as well.
Given that Stokes is also there as a sem bowling option, it presents a similar conundrum to what England are currently placed with. Keeping an eye on both present and future, coupled with the advantage Wood has because of his X-Factor and experience, it is hard to look past him for the playing XI spot.
Potts will have his shot, sooner rather than later, especially considering how Gus Atkinson has never been spared from injuries in the past, and his workload will be closely managed.