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This was the first time in his Test career that Wood has taken five wickets in a single spell, and there some truly eye-catching dismissals to savour.
He started by trapping Joshua Da Silva lbw with a toe-crushing full ball which the West Indies wicketkeeper knew was plumb, wasting no time in exiting stage left.
Shortly after Alzarri Joseph saw his middle stump uprooted by a delivery which tailed in past his bat before Hodge prodded at one and edged it into the gloves of Jamie Smith.
With three wickets in the bag Wood went for the kill, as the decibel levels in the Eric Hollies Stand rose every time an over of his began.
They sensed this was fast bowling of the highest calibre, and would doubtless even have drawn nods of approval from the great West Indian fast bowlers of yore.
Wood then sent Jayden Seales’ off stump cartwheeling out of the ground – the most spectacular dismissal of the lot – having softened up the tail ender with a short ball moments earlier.
He secured his fourth five-wicket haul in 35 Tests two balls later when Shamar Joseph edged him to second slip where Harry Brook snaffled a smart diving catch.
There were eyebrows raised when Wood was handed a three-year central contract by the England & Wales Cricket Board last November, a couple of months shy of his 34th birthday.
He was only two players to be given deals of that length – the other was Brook – but on this evidence it looks a smart call despite his age.
Wood is bowling as quickly, aggressively and smartly as ever. A promise to break the 100mph could well come later in the summer when Sri Lanka visit for three Tests.
The fitness problems which plagued Wood earlier in his career, and deprived England of this type of menacing spell, also appear a thing of the past. Everything is clicking.
As a teetotaller he might not welcome the analogy, but like a fine wine Wood appears to be getting better with age.
More to follow.
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