Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match
Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)
England Lions 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: still to bat
The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his return to play since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.
Captain's Outstanding Comeback
Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.
Wood's Injury Concern
Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.
The Wood situation removed the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.
Squad Strategy
The tourists wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Performance Highlights
Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries.
Low-key Environment
England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.
Captain's Supreme Performance
Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.
The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been bowling 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 wickets were presented.
Jacks Pushes Case
Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front 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 match may not have been the attack for the initial match.
Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.
Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.
Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.
