Ben Stokes Takes Six Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up
Practice game, Perth venue (day one of 3)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: still to bat
The England captain delivered six wickets in his return to play following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.
Skipper's Outstanding Return
Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches on the on-side.
Mark Wood's Injury Worry
Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan 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 Lilac Hill.
Team Strategy
The tourists aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Performance Standouts
Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by hitting 84.
Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.
Low-key Environment
The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "has-beens".
A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.
Captain's Supreme Performance
The captain was superb in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.
He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Will Jacks Strengthens Case
Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, 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 first Test.
Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.
Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.
Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.
