Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up
Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: awaiting batting
The England captain delivered six wickets in his initial appearance following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.
Captain's Outstanding Comeback
The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.
Wood's Injury Concern
Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.
Wood's injury sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.
Squad Strategy
The tourists wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.
In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Highlights
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.
Relaxed Atmosphere
The team's decision to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the doubters "past players".
A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.
Stokes Excellent Return
Stokes was superb in the contest against India 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 completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Jacks Strengthens Case
Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.
Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of over eight.
Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.