Mark Wood had complained of hamstring stiffness on the first day of England’s warm-up match against England Lions

England pace ace Mark Wood remains an outside chance to feature in the first Ashes Test against Australia after scans cleared him of a hamstring injury.

Wood experienced tightness in his left hamstring after bowling his eighth over on the opening day of England’s three-day warm-up match at Lilac Hill on Thursday.

The 35-year-old was playing his first match since undergoing knee surgery in March and the hamstring niggle has raised big doubts about his durability.

But scans have cleared him of any damage, and although Wood isn’t expected to bowl for England on the final day of the warm-up match on Saturday, he will train next week in a bid to prove his fitness for the first Test, starting Friday.

“Following precautionary scans on Friday, England fast bowler Mark Wood has been cleared of any concerns regarding his left hamstring,” England said in a statement.

“He is not expected to feature today – the third day of England’s warm-up match against the Lions XI at Lilac Hill Park, Perth. 

“Wood will continue to train as planned in the build-up to the first Test in Perth.”

Selecting Wood for the Ashes opener would represent a major risk given his lack of match fitness.

Jofra Archer, who returned figures of 1-51 from 12.3 overs on a docile pitch during the Lions’ first innings total of 375, looms as a more likely option for the opening Test.

Archer has played just two Tests over the past four years, but the injury-prone quick has at least been playing for England in the ODI and T20 formats in recent months.

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England’s decision to use a sole three-day intra-team match as their only preparation for the Ashes has drawn widespread criticism.

And the flat and slow nature of the Lilac Hill pitch – which will be in stark contrast to what will greet players at Optus Stadium – has added further heat on England’s choice of warm-up.

In reply to the Lions’ 375, England posted 426 on Friday, with Ollie Pope (100), Ben Duckett (92 off 97 balls), Zak Crawley (82 off 101) and Ben Stokes (77) among the runs.

Pope’s classy knock has all but locked his place in at No.3, fending off a challenge from 22-year-old rising star Jacob Bethell.

But veteran Joe Root was caught for just one after mishitting a pull shot, while Harry Brook was bowled for two after charging down the wicket and dragging Nathan Gilchrist onto his own stumps.

Brook’s dismissal came a short time after he hit the deck while attempting an audacious ramp shot.

Root is yet to score a Test century in Australia and his cheap dismissal on Friday means he will enter the first Test lacking time in the middle – not that his teammates think it’s a big deal.

“He’s spent a lot of time in the middle over the last few years, I think he’ll be just fine,” Crawley said when asked about Root’s preparation.

2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes

First Test: November 21-25, Perth Stadium, 1:20pm AEDT

Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3pm AEDT

Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT

Australia squad: (First Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood