Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up
Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
England XI: awaiting batting
The England captain produced six wickets in his return to play after July but the tourists encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.
Skipper's Impressive Return
Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.
Mark Wood's Injury Concern
Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.
Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.
Team Strategy
England aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Highlights
Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Environment
England's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by calling the critics "past players".
A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.
Captain's Excellent Performance
Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.
He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Will Jacks Pushes Case
Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.
Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.
