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Mark Wood (Source: X)
The third Test match between England and West Indies saw an exciting point where Mark Wood dismantled the middle stumps of Kirk McKenzie in the 24th over of the first innings. The view was beautiful to watch as the ball swung back in from a fuller length at a great pace and uprooted the middle stumps, leaving the batter in utter shock. The teammates seemed to enjoy the wicket as McKenzie was clueless about the ball which went past him.
The video went viral on social media as England's social media page posted it with a quirky caption, 'Why look for the outside edge... When you can take middle stump out the ground!' The game has just begun, and the exciting visuals have increased enthusiasm.
Why look for the outside edge...
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 26, 2024
When you can take middle stump out the ground! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ojiqBtWgXF
West Indies won the toss and chose to bat first, but they couldn't do justice to their decision as they were down with three wickets. It is an important match for the West Indies if they want to stay in the race for the WTC Finals, scheduled in 2025. With losing two games at the start, they have already lowered their chance, giving England leverage.
Also Read: Ben Stokes feels express pacer Mark Wood is getting closer to 100 mph mark
England's chance to climb up the WTC Points table
With another win over the West Indies, England has a great chance to move up the points table. They are already in the sixth position, and if they keep on winning matches at this rate, they'll give tough competition to teams like India and Australia, who are sitting comfortably in the 1st and 2nd positions.
So far, England has won five matches out of 12, but in the upcoming series against teams like Pakistan and Sri Lanka, they'll easily win matches. With Sri Lanka, they'll play a 3-match Test series on home soil, which will be a huge advantage for the English team. How they keep the momentum will be up to them but if they manage to keep calm and win games at a consistent rate, they'll easily qualify for their first WTC Finals.