Ben Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in English Test Series Preparation Match
Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)
Development squad 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: yet to bat
The England captain produced six wickets in his return to play following July but the tourists encountered an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Perth.
Skipper's Outstanding Return
Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.
Wood's Injury Worry
Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.
Wood's injury sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.
Team Planning
England wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.
In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Standouts
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by hitting 84.
Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also made fifties.
Low-key Atmosphere
England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what England will face at a packed main stadium the following week.
Stokes Supreme Return
The captain was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not completed a full part in any of the team's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.
He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days 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.
Jacks Strengthens Claim
Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.
Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.
In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.
Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.
