Wood Irritated By England's 'golf, Golf, Golf' Narrative

Pace bowler Mark Wood is irritated by a "golf, golf, golf" communicative astir nan England team, but admits they do not thief themselves by saying "dumb" things successful nan media.

A number of England's players person made nary concealed of their emotion of golf, starring to accusations they do not train enough, peculiarly from erstwhile skipper Kevin Pietersen during nan white-ball circuit of India earlier this year.

The cognition has not been helped by comments made to nan property by immoderate members of nan squad, starring to managing head Rob Key saying successful March they request to "stop talking rubbish".

Speaking connected nan Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Wood said: "Sometimes we've been so, really tin I opportunity this? Naive, a spot dumb successful nan things we opportunity successful nan press.

"We'll opportunity things successful nan dressing room and that is successful nan dressing room. It should enactment there. Then we travel retired successful nan property and we'll opportunity an off-the-cuff one-liner that possibly a group of lads person been talking about, past it's successful nan press, past it looks for illustration we're Billy Big Boots, supra our station. I don't peculiarly for illustration that. We've sewage to beryllium respectful."

Wood, 35, did not springiness circumstantial examples and said: "I'm not kicking disconnected astatine nan different players."

Pietersen's comments connected training came during a circuit of India erstwhile England mislaid a T20 bid 4-1 and nan one-day internationals 3-0 and, speaking to The Telegraph earlier this month, he said: "I guidelines by each word."

Without referring to Pietersen specifically, Wood said: "One point that does fuss maine is this communicative of 'golf, golf, golf'.

"I don't play golf. I don't for illustration it. It's not a crippled for me. I cognize nan lads bask it and that's their clip off. At times it's arsenic if nan play is much important, and that is not existent astatine all.

"I cannot accent capable that erstwhile we're astatine training, particularly nether Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, we train hard.

"The lads don't return it for granted that we play for England. This communicative of "oh, well, we'll play golf, this is nan champion gig successful nan world", I tin understand people's vexation pinch it, but I'm telling you, group genuinely attraction and activity hard.

"I'm location to triumph for England. That's what makes maine consciousness uncomfortable, this communicative that we don't care. It hurts erstwhile we get beat. The quotes that travel from nan squad sometimes, we tin decidedly amended that, because it doesn't past travel crossed astir really group are genuinely feeling."

Wood will miss nan early portion of nan summertime aft having knee room successful March. Initially ruled retired 4 months, nan Durham man said he is still hopeful of playing immoderate portion successful nan Test bid against India, which concludes astatine nan extremity of July.

"I would dream to effort to play a mates of games successful July for Durham, past put myself guardant for nan England stuff, but that's a agelong measurement distant to look," he said.

"A rehab roadworthy is ne'er an upward curve, location are bumps successful it. I'm still aiming for a Test aliases 2 astatine nan extremity of that India bid if I tin get my assemblage successful a bully place. At nan infinitesimal that's rather a agelong measurement disconnected to springiness a definite answer."

England statesman their location summertime pinch a one-off Test against Zimbabwe astatine nan extremity of May. A squad will beryllium named connected Friday, pinch uncapped Essex seamer Sam Cook expected to beryllium included.