'Pace is a massive weapon that makes you do different things'
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England skipper Ben Stokes is relishing the prospect of having two out and out quicks in the starting XI for the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge.
England will have Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood, both bowlers who can bowl 90mph, in their starting XI at Trent Bridge as England prepare for the post-James Anderson era.
Atkinson, who stole the limelight last week with a stellar debut, taking 12/106 in the Lord's Test, will take the new ball alongside Chris Woakes as confirmed by Stokes ahead of the Test.
Wood, meanwhile, will be the third fast bowler in an attack that also has Stokes as a pace option.
"You ask any batter in the world, whether it be Joe Root, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, pace is a massive weapon that makes you do different things," Stokes said., hinting that England are heading down a new route in this format with their bowling attack formation.
"It makes you think differently. But also there has got to be skill attached to your pace. Gus showed that last week, that he's more than just an out-and-out quick bowler, he's incredibly skilful.
"As is Mark Wood. The ability for him to be able to bowl as quickly as he does but have the control and swing as well is something that's very rare in someone who bowls that fast."
On the other hand, Anderson has been working on the wobble ball with Stokes, who showed promising signs with the ball at Lord's.
"I wish I had it last week when it was swinging," Stokes said.
"I could have nipped one back in. Everything he said to me made complete and utter sense and made it sound like the easiest thing in the world to do, but it's not."
In the West Indies camp, there are concerns around the batting after the team collapsed to 121 and 136 all out in the first Test.
But the Caribbean side have named an unchanged XI for the second Test and skipper Kraigg Brathwaite admitted that the team has to bat "a lot better" to put up a fight.
"Obviously we've got to find a way, which we've had some discussions around different things we can do better as a team," Brathwaite said.
"There are still a bit of positives with the bat. With the ball, as I said before, [England scored] 50-60 runs too many but it was a positive to get ten wickets. But with the bat, we've just got to put runs on the board. It's simple.
"A few guys did get in and didn't go on. It's just important that you go on for longer, because the longer you bat, the easier it becomes and it's important to stay in that plan for as long as possible."
The second Test begins in Nottingham on Thursday with England leading 1-0 in the ICC World Test Championship series.
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