The Ashes: England’s Mark Wood leaves the field with tight hamstring in the Lions’ tour match

He appeared in good spirits as he left the field, joking with England Lions Jordan Cox, who had just caught him in the boundary.

But any injury to Wood would be a major concern for England given his injury record.

Wood has not played a Test since August 2024, when he was ruled out for the rest of that year with an elbow injury.

He returned to white-ball cricket at the start of this year but suffered a knee injury in the Champions Trophy which later required surgery.

The hamstring problem is on the same leg where Wood had the knee surgery.

The tour match against the Lions was Wood’s first cricket of any kind in nine months and his first for the Whites in 15 months.

However, on the slow pitch, he was immediately up to a high pace, reaching 91 mph in his first stint.

England’s selection for the tour game appears to indicate their plans for the first Test, with Wood part of a five-man pace attack and front-rower Shoaib Bashir playing for the Lions.

In recent years, spin has played a diminishing role in Tests in Australia, and Optus Stadium, the venue for the first Test against Australia from 21 November, is particularly suitable for spin.

Another English footballer, Brydon Cars, missed the first day of the tour match due to illness but is expected to join the game in the coming days.

England captain Ben Stokes took four wickets in the first two overs in his first match since July.

The all-rounder has been out since missing the final Test of the series against India due to a shoulder injury.

Australia captain and fast bowler Pat Cummins exited the first Test with a back injury, while fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood was cleared of a hamstring problem after an injury scare on Wednesday.