England v New Zealand: We need fighters to win Test - Mark Wood
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
| First Test, day three, Lord's |
| England 389 & 74-2 |
| New Zealand 523: Williamson 132, Guptill 70, Taylor 62, Watling 61* |
| England trail by 60 runs |
| Scorecard |
England can win the first Test against New Zealand but will need "fighters", according to fast bowler Mark Wood.
The home side closed day three on 74-2, still 60 runs behind the tourists' first innings total of 523.
"We have to believe that we can win the game," said the 25-year-old debutant. "If we bat well and get a decent lead, why can't we bowl them out?
"The mood is spirited and we need fighters, but I don't see why we can't knock them over."
England were in trouble on 25-2 after conceding a first-innings deficit of 134, but were steadied by an unbroken stand of 49 between Alastair Cook and Ian Bell.
"The way they played was tremendous," said Durham's Wood, who was waiting as nightwatchman, taking over the job from James Anderson.
"He just turned his back, he didn't even look at me. It was just assumed that I was going to do it. I was nervous, so I'm glad they got through."
| Jonathan Agnew's analysis |
|---|
| "James Anderson took 1-88 and, while the rest of the attack bowled perfectly well and honestly, they lack a cutting edge." |
| Read more from Jonathan |
Wood earlier returned figures of 3-93, including New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum caught at third man for his maiden Test wicket.
That success came a day after Wood was denied his first strike, when a delivery that Martin Guptill edged to slip was found to be a no-ball.
"Relief is the perfect way to describe it," said Wood. "The no-ball was the best and then worst feeling that I've had in cricket.
"On Friday I tried too hard, but today I tried to have fun, got into a battle with the batsmen and didn't really concentrate on the crowd or the cameras."
Wood has previously talked of riding an "imaginary horse" to alleviate boredom in the field and showed off such a celebration when he held a catch to dismiss Tim Southee.
"That's been the talk through the build-up, so I thought the crowd deserved some entertainment after seeing New Zealand run up 500," said Wood.
"That was the right time to do it."