England fast bowler Mark Wood was asked to assemble his perfect fast bowler using five categories. The right-arm speedster, on an official ECB video broke down his perfect fast bowler using the best attributes of some of the most legendary pacers in the world.

Wood was asked to choose 5 different attributes – the best run-up, leap, front leg position, delivery and aura. The fast bowler chose 5 different pacers from different eras and assembled, what he thought was the best possible pacer in the world.

For the run-up, Wood chose legendary West Indies pacer Michael Holding.

“Run up – Michael Holding. Gliding effortlessly, plenty of momentum to the crease, allowing him to then bowl at a decent speed. So for run up effortless, plenty of momentum and everything going in a straight line towards off stump,” Wood said.

For the leap, Wood opted for the ‘white lightning’ Alan Donald from South Africa.

“The leap would be for me, Alan, Donald, you know, that upright coil that he had, It looked fast. It looked aggressive, Everything going towards the target. So if I had to pick someone with the perfect leap, it would be him,” Wood explained.

Brett Lee was next in the list for Wood when it came to the bracing of the front leg, which helps the bowler to generate extreme pace.

“The perfect braced front leg – Brett Lee. Absolute rocket. If you look at him side on, he always had that sort of long front leg that was braced perfectly, almost looked like he was going towards the batsman. And that that’s a sight. I certainly wouldn’t want to face him if I was batting,” Wood said.

In terms of wrist position and skill on the ball, Wood opted for another South African star – Dale Steyn.

“The delivery itself. I’ll be picking Dale Steyn, a guy who could swing it late and at high pace. Stumps knocked out of the ground. He was definitely someone that everyone hated is facing. So the delivery itself Dale Steyn,” Wood said.

The final attribute was – aura and Wood chose no other than former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

“Aura- got to be Shoaib Akhtar. The fastest man, isn’t it? He sprinted in from the boundary. I wouldn’t want to be looking up anytime soon. I think I’d be, you know, getting shorter and shorter, as he was running in or further and further away from the stump. So just pure aura – and you know, you’ve got to have a nickname like Rawalpindi Express,” concluded the England pacer.