Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match
Tour game, Perth venue (first day of three)
Development squad 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: yet to bat
The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his first action following July but England faced an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.
Captain's Outstanding Comeback
The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.
Wood's Fitness Concern
Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.
The Wood situation sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.
Team Strategy
England aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.
In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Standouts
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.
McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Environment
England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by labeling the doubters "past players".
A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.
Stokes Supreme Performance
The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been practicing at full pace for two months and appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.
Jacks Pushes Case
Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Brydon Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.
Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.
