Player Profile
Luke Wood joined Lancashire at the end of 2019 for a number of reasons, notably to press his claims for international honours with England. It is a goal the fast bowling all-rounder has since achieved, debuting in T20I and ODI cricket.
Ahead of the 2024 summer, the former Nottinghamshire man has played seven times for his country; twice in ODIs and five times in the T20 format.
On debut in a T20 against Pakistan at Karachi in September 2022, he claimed 3-24 in a six-wicket win and scooped the player-of-the-match award. He later made his 50-over bow in Australia towards the end of the year.
He made his most recent limited overs international appearances towards the end of the 2023 home summer against New Zealand and then Ireland.
After his ODI bow against the Aussies in late 2022, he stayed in Oz to compete in the Big Bash League for the Melbourne Stars either side of Christmas and finished that campaign as their leading wicket-taker with 20 from 14 appearances.
His international exposure means he is now getting more and more franchise chances, and he started 2024 with spells in the ILT20 competition in the UAE with the Desert Vipers, in the Bangladesh Premier League with the Khulna Tigers and in the Pakistan Super League with Peshawar Zalmi.
Wood was a winner of the Hundred in the 2022 with the Trent Rockets, striking 10 times, including once in the final victory over the Manchester Originals at Lord’s.
In 2023, he was named as Lancashire’s Vitality Blast player-of-the-year following a haul of 18 wickets in 14 matches, including a best of 3-11.
However, as 2024 approaches, he will hope to significantly better his two Championship appearances of the most recent summer.
Wood is a left-arm quick with good pace and skill - getting swing with the new ball is a major asset of his. He hurries many a batter with his extra pace as well.
He helped Lancashire to second-placed finishes in the County Championship and Blast in 2022.
Wood joined the Red Rose after a series of loan spells away from Trent Bridge - Worcestershire and Northamptonshire were his two destinations.
And when the Sheffield-born player decided to move ahead of 2020, he had significant interest in his services, which also include being a very useful lower order batter. It said much about the direction Lancashire were heading that he chose to join the ranks at Emirates Old Trafford.
Wood is a two-time Blast winner and reached Finals Day six out of the last seven years through to 2022. He helped Notts win the title in 2017 before claiming another winner’s medal a year later whilst on loan at Worcester.
He has gone close to silverware with the Red Rose, but good things come to those who wait, hey!
In 2021, left-handed Wood hit a superb 119 from number eight in the first innings of an early season Championship victory over Kent at Canterbury.
He is yet to take a first-class five-for in Lancashire colours, though has three to his name across his career.