Wood feared his England career was over post ankle injury

Johannesburg [South Africa], May 7 (ANI): England paceman Mark Wood has admitted that he thought his international career was over due to his persisting injury problems. The 27-year-old has endured an injury-plagued international career because of the strain he puts on his left ankle in his delivery stride. When it was announced in October that he would have to undergo a third operation in 12 months, Wood feared his hopes of representing England once again might have gone. However, the Dutchman was back on track again when he clean bowled Ireland opener Paul Stirling middle stump to guide England to a seven-wicket win over Ireland. "It's not something that I thought at times would happen over the winter," said Wood after finishing with the figures of one for 24 in six overs in his side's opening ODI of the two-match series against Ireland at Bristol on Friday. Wood, whose all eight Tests till date came in his breakthrough year of 2015, returned to action last summer after his first two ankle operations and went on to display an impressive performance in four-match ODIs against Pakistan. But more pain and further surgery once again interrupted his career, thus leaving him without any Test action since October 2015, cricket.com.au reported. Admitting that he had started believing whether he would be able to represent England ever again, Wood said, "After the first two operations, I always believed I would get back. But then this one, because (the recovery) didn't happen at the same rate as it did previously, I was a little bit unsure if I would ever get back to the standard I wanted to set and the pace I wanted to bowl at. I felt I had sort of stood still for a year." After making a successful return, Wood said he now remains hopeful that he could perform for his country for a few more years to come. "(But) I'm pretty confident now I could get through any sort of international cricket be it Test, one-day or Twenty20," the pacer said. England will now lock horns with Ireland in the second and final ODI at Lord's on Sunday, and Wood has expressed his desire to see his side emerge victorious, even if he has a limited role to play. "I just want to win. If it means I only bowl five overs, I just want to win," he concluded. (ANI)