Frustrated Wood Looking To Send Message To Australia In T20s

After being overlooked by England for most of the international summer, Mark Wood will look to take out his frustration on Australia in the upcoming white-ball series and send a message ahead of next years Ashes.

The paceman was dropped after the first test against the West Indies in early July, didnt play in the rest of that three-match series, and also failed to earn a recall for any of Englands three tests against Pakistan last month.

Wood acknowledged it was hard mentally to live for two months in a bio-secure bubble and barely get a chance to play, but didnt go moaning and groaning to selectors behind the scenes.

You never want to be left out, or the easy drop, Wood said in a video call on Wednesday. Its not my style to shout and scream. I have a great relationship with (England test coach) Chris Silverwood and I just asked him honestly what I needed to do to get in the team and improve.

Sometimes you dont get the answer youre looking for. He said he was happy with me but just that I didnt get selected. I think once you know you are not in the team, you are disappointed but you are very lucky to still be in a squad playing for England.

The disappointment will be slightly eased if he makes the team for the three-match Twenty20 series against Australia starting Friday, and then a three-match ODI series against the same opponent from Sept. 11.

Wood has been a key member of Englands white-ball team in recent years, and is a World Cup winner from last year.

Its always good when you play for England, dont get me wrong, but theres an extra incentive when you play Australia, your biggest rivals, Wood said. They are desperate to beat you, you are desperate to beat them.

It doesnt matter of its the Ashes, white ball, T20. Well be desperate to beat them.

Wood said hell be looking to bowl fast and put a marker down to the some of Australias batsmen, with an away Ashes series a little more than a year away.

Australia paceman Mitchell Johnsons domination of England in the 2013-14 Ashes series stemmed from his intimidating bowling in limited-overs matches between the teams the previous year, while Wood also brought up England quick Stuart Broad winning his personal battle with Australia opener David Warner with both the white and red ball last year.

Its a very different format, a very different game. But therell always be talk about the Broad and Warner situation, Wood said. If you can get the wood over them, and can start the ball rolling with a couple of players here, Im sure theyll be thinking about that whatever the format.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80