Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up
Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)
England Lions 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
England XI: yet to bat
Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but the tourists faced an injury concern about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.
Skipper's Outstanding Return
The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – all to catches on the leg side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Concern
Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.
The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.
Squad Strategy
England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.
In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Highlights
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.
Low-key Environment
England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.
Stokes Excellent Return
The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.
He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.
Will Jacks Pushes Case
Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.
Brydon Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.
Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.
