11 Aug 2015 | Cricket
Ashes hero Mark Wood returned to his cricketing roots today to offer some advice to England's Under-19s before the first match in their one-day series against Australia.
Three days after he took the wicket that regained the Ashes for England at Trent Bridge, Wood was at South Northumberland Cricket Club in Gosforth to present caps to Durham's Adam Hickey and Dan Lawrence of Essex, who were both making their one-day debut.
Wood also spoke to the team in their pre-match huddle, congratulating them on their achievement in representing their country, and urging them to enjoy every minute of it.
England made four changes from the team who drew the four-day match against Australia at the Emirates ICG last week.
Hickey came in as opener, Hampshire's offspinner Brad Taylor passed a fitness test on his finger, Kent's seamer Hugh Bernard joined his county team-mate Ryan Davies in the team, and Glamorgan's Aneurin Donald took over the captaincy from Lancashire's Haseeb Hameed, who returned to the ranks.
Donald won the toss and chose to bat on a fine Gosforth morning.
Australia were forced to make two late changes, resting the seam bowler Liam Hatcher because of some soreness in his side, and calling up the left-arm spinner Ben Taylor to replace Sam Grimwade who had to have 10 stitches in his face after being hit by a deflected drive in practice yesterday.
England Under-19s: Hickey (Durham), Hameed (Lancs), Lawrence (Essex), Donald (Glam, capt), Thomason (Warwicks), Davies (Kent, wk), C Taylor (Essex), Green (Somerset), B Taylor (Hants), Warner (Yorks), Bernard (Kent).