Ashes 2023England batters have to give Mark Wood time to rest, says Michael Vaughan ahead of Day 2 at Leeds

By India Today Sports DeskFormer England captain Michael Vaughan has said that England batters will have to make sure that pacer Mark Wood gets time to rest. England ended Day 1 of the Headingley Test at 68 for 3, trailing Australia by 195 runs.

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Speaking to Cricbuzz after the end of Day 1, Vaughan said he is wondering what scars Wood has left the Australian side with after his performance on Day 1. Wood picked up five wickets as England bowled out Australia for 263 runs on Day 1 at Leeds.

“Wonder what the scars he’s done in this innings going into the next innings. Because quick bowling, it can offer scars going forward. Batters don’t want to be facing it and It’s how Mark Wood recovers now,” said Vaughan.

He went on to say that the England batting unit will have to make sure that Wood gets enough rest. England will be looking to bat through Day 2 and put a big score in their first innings with Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root in the middle.

“This is why I look at England’s batting now and the batters have to do the job to give Wood rest. If Mark Wood is back out there tomorrow afternoon having to bowl, then you can’t expect someone to continuously bowl at 90 MPH when he’s had one night’s rest,” Vaughan added.

Vaughan said England’s ‘Bazball’ way went to sleep in the last half an hour of the day when both Bairstow and Root played for stumps. England are 0-2 down in the five-match Ashes 2023 series and will be looking to pull one back in Leeds.

“They’ve got to give him more rest so it’s now down to the batters. Actually thought the Bazball way kind of went to sleep in the last half hour and England played for stumps. Jonny (Bairstow) and Joe (Root) knew that they had to play for stumps,” said Vaughan.