Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match
Tour game, Perth venue (first day of 3)
Development squad 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
National team: awaiting batting
Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his first action since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.
Skipper's Impressive Return
Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.
Wood's Injury Worry
Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.
Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.
Squad Strategy
The tourists aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Standouts
Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by hitting eighty-four.
McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.
Relaxed Environment
England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by labeling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will face at a packed main stadium next week.
Captain's Supreme Performance
The captain was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.
The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.
Jacks Strengthens Claim
Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.
Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after the break.
Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the absence of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.
Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.
