Ben Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Test Series Warm-up
Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)
Development squad 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: awaiting batting
Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his initial appearance after July but England encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.
Skipper's Outstanding Return
Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.
Mark Wood's Injury Concern
Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.
The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.
Squad Planning
England aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Performance Highlights
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.
McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Matthew Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Environment
The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by labeling the critics "past players".
A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.
Captain's Supreme Performance
The captain was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.
The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.
Jacks Pushes Case
Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.
Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Although the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.
Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.
