Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match
Tour match, Perth venue (first day of 3)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: yet to bat
The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his first action since July but England faced an injury concern about Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Western Australia.
Captain's Impressive Return
Stokes, returning after almost 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 on the on-side.
Wood's Fitness Worry
Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.
Wood's injury sucked the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.
Team Strategy
The tourists aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Performance Highlights
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring 84.
McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.
Low-key Environment
England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.
Stokes Excellent Return
Stokes was excellent in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous 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 matches in the host country.
He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Will Jacks Pushes Case
Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.
In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.
Joe Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.
