Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match
Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
England XI: awaiting batting
Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his return to play after July but England faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.
Captain's Impressive Return
The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Concern
Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.
The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.
Squad Strategy
England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.
In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Standouts
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 hitting eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also scored fifties.
Relaxed Atmosphere
England's decision to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes responded by labeling the critics "has-beens".
A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.
Stokes Supreme Return
Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not managed a full part in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.
Jacks Pushes Case
Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Though the captain 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 departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.
Joe Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.
