Ben Stokes hailed Mark Wood as a “special talent” after the bowler’s man of the match display helped keep England’s Ashes dream alive.
Stokes paid tribute to Wood and Chris Woakes after the pair, left out of the first two Tests of the series, returned to the side to play vital hands in a three-wicket win that halves England’s series deficit to 2-1.
Wood took five-for-34 in a sensational first innings display, touching speeds of 96.5mph, while Woakes finished with six wickets across the match before the pair combined with bat in hand to see England home in a chase of 251 on day four.
“Woakes, being out of the team for such a long period of time to come back in and perform the way that he did with both bat and ball [was great],” Stokes said. “Seeing Woody running in like he does, big smile on his face and enjoying every moment out there was great.
“He just loves playing for England, and playing cricket full stop. Whenever he has the ball in his hand, he will give everything he can, whether he’s fresh, tired, coming back for a fourth spell of the day, he will just keep running in and running in.
“Even with the bat, he is willing to take it on. Having players like that is great, not only for me but for the team. He brings energy, excitement.
“He has a very special gift and talent, I’m not sure how because he’s about four stone wet through. He’s a special talent and we are lucky to have him.”
The seam duo came back into the side as part of three changes to the XI that played in the defeat at Lord’s last week, with spinner Moeen Ali also back in the team.
Despite the Headingley surface offering little in the way of turn, Moeen prized the key wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in Australia’s second innings.
“I said before the series started that we decided to go with Mo back into the squad because of the impact he can have on games,” Stokes said.
“I’ve played a lot of games with him and I know the impact he can have on his best days. You look at that little spell yesterday of 15 minutes when he took the wickets of Marnus [Labuschagne] and Steve [Smith] and that was a huge point in the game and that’s like Mo as a cricketer.
“You bring him into the team and you want him to be impactful with the ball and the bat and he certainly was with the ball this game.”
The all-rounder also shuffled up the order to bat at No3 in England’s chase, and while he was bowled for five, the move allowed Harry Brook to return to his preferred slot at five, from where he struck the 75 that anchored England’s pursuit.
"It was him actually, it was Mo [with the idea],” Stokes revealed. “He came to [Brendon McCullum] last night and said ‘I want to go at three, I want to take the Aussies on in this run chase’.
“When we thought about it, we actually thought that him coming in at three, he was able to impact the game more than he would be at number seven.
“When I took the role on I asked for ten other selfless cricketers, and that little moment of Mo going to Baz and saying ‘I want the opportunity’ is everything that we’re about as a team.”
