ENGLAND star Mark Wood has been ruled out of the Ashes because of injury.
The bowler raced to get back in time for the tour Down Under after sustaining a knee injury earlier this year.
Wood, 35, returned to action in the first Test in Perth after surgery kept him out for eight months, but he was sidelined for the defeat in Brisbane after his left knee flared up again.
The player released a statement saying he was “gutted” to miss out.
He wrote: “After extensive surgery and months of work and rehab to get back into the Test arena, my knee just hasn’t held up.
“None of us expected this.
“I came here with high expectations about making a big impact.
“I’m desperately disappointed that despite yet more injections and intensive medical treatment it has become clear that the flare up in my knee is worse than feared.”
Wood will be replaced in the squad by Matthew Fisher, 28, who won his only Test cap on a tour of the West Indies in 2022.
Fisher has been with the second-string England Lions squad in Australia.
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It could signal the end of a 10-year Test career for Wood, one of the quickest bowlers ever to play for England.
But Wood said he would try to come back.
He added: “It has been a tough road these past few months but I remain determined to give it another proper go.”
