England and Durham fast bowler Mark Wood is excited at the opportunity of returning back home with England, when they take on Sri Lanka tomorrow [Tuesday], at Emirates Riverside in the first ODI game of a three match series.
England host Sri Lanka at 11am tomorrow [Tuesday] in the Royal London Series, which will see England return back to the North East for the first time in the 2019 ICC World Cup.
“Every time I come in here [Emirates Riverside] I have a huge smile on my face especially with England colours on, it is a proud feeling coming back to the North East, seeing the ground, I have to try and contain myself a little bit around the lads or they will be taking the mick out of me a little bit. I absolutely love coming back, hopefully I will have a few family and friends watching the game tomorrow”; said Wood.
“I am really hopeful I can be in the team and play another game here at Durham, it is a special place for me to play. The fact that I have to go South after being at Chester Le Street to stay in the hotel is a bit weird for me, normally I am going North back to Ashington, but yeah it is just lovely to be in the area and represent the region here when I play up in the North East.”
Wood who played in the 1st and 2nd IT20 fixtures against Sri Lanka at Sophia Gardens, played three County Championship matches for Durham ahead of his England return adding: “ I feel good I strung a few games together playing for Durham then the Test matches which I felt I kept my pace up then into the T20 matches, so I have backed up a lot of games now. It is good to see I am playing games and if I can contribute to us winning games then that it what it is all about.”
The right arm fast bowler knows how much playing in the North East means for the fans, he went on: “ I feel like I am representing the whole region when playing here, as does Stokesy when he is playing here.
“We don’t just feel like this small pocket of Chester Le Street, we feel like representing the whole area, so hopefully we can make them proud and inspire a few young kids around this area to try and whack it like Stokes and bowl fast like myself.
“It is always great coming back and I absolutely love it, so it is great to see they have more people coming and they get to see the game live, the accent might just get a little bit broader when I hear a few fans in the crowd.”