England fast bowler announces international retirement

One of England's fastest ever bowlers Mark Wood has announced his retirement from international cricket.

The 36-year-old paceman played 38 Test matches over an 11-year England career, taking 119 wickets.

"My stats won't read I was the best bowler ever – but I hope my team-mates think I was someone who tried my best every time," he said.

Wood last played for England in an eight-wicket loss against Australia in the first Test of the 2025/26 Ashes series.

He made 70 one-day international appearances and was part of England's 50-over World Cup-winning squad in 2019.

The Northumberland-born bowler played 38 T20s and was in the England squad which won the World Cup in 2022, although injury ruled him out of the semi-final and the final.

Injuries ultimately cost Wood more caps, and a knee problem has prompted him to call time on his international career.

"When you speak to other people, they say it hits you in the face, there's a big feeling around that being it, 'you're done'," he told Sky Sports.

"I've never really had that, I love playing cricket, I love playing for England, that's been something I've felt really strongly about and proud to do. But I've had a lot of injuries.

"I've always found a way where I've believed I'd come back and had that resilience where I'm going to come back again, or I'll be better, or I'll prove somebody wrong again, but this time it's just ground me down really.

"It's been a long time since Perth, that was in November 2025 my last game, so it's been a year and a half really where it's just sort of ground me down to thinking I'm never going to get back to that level.

"Plus the contract situation. My contract ends in September, and I think it just feels like the right time.

"I never really wanted to give up England, but the lads that are coming through are doing a fantastic job and the news should be about the lads going to get their contracts and I can just focus on other things."

Arguably England's fastest-ever bowler, Wood clocked 97.7mph (157.2 km/h) in the 2021/22 Ashes series.