Stokes Takes 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match
Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)
England Lions 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
National team: yet to bat
Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists faced an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.
Skipper's Outstanding Comeback
The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.
Wood's Fitness Worry
Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.
The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.
Team Planning
The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Highlights
Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring 84.
McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Atmosphere
England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by labeling the doubters "past players".
A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a sold-out main stadium the following week.
Stokes Excellent Return
The captain was superb in the contest against India 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 the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Will Jacks Pushes Claim
Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.
Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.
Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.
Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.