England's Mark Wood on Ashes build-up: 'I've been trying to just up the intensity'

Wood has not played any competitive cricket for close to nine months due to knee surgery but was still included in the Ashes squad as England selected a battery of pace bowlers.

While he admits that he is not yet bowling at full throttle, the 35-year-old has a warm-up game next week as the tourists gear up for the opening showdown.

Wood said: "I wouldn't say I'm at 100%. I think it's very hard to train 100% all of the time.  

"I've been off my full run-up and stuff, and I've been trying to just up the intensity as I go along.

"I'm sure in the practice game coming up, I can try and up it a little bit more again and gradually get ready for that first game."

England have been criticized for only organising one warm-up fixture ahead of the first Test but Wood says the visitors will have enough practice.

"The schedule is the schedule, I'm happy with what we've done," he said. "In India recently, we didn't have many games there, and we went straight into that and managed to win that first game.

"We're going to have been here, what, two or three weeks as a group. That's a good enough build-up to that first game in my eyes.

"I suppose everybody's different, and some people might want more but, for myself, I want to feel fresh going in that first game, having done a little bit, but not too much.

"I want to be mint for that game, and as fresh as I can be. We've got a good depth of bowlers, and if one misses out, he'll be prepared for the next game."