Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up
Practice match, Perth venue (day one of 3)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: yet to bat
The England captain achieved 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 Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.
Captain's Outstanding Return
The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.
Wood's Fitness Concern
Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.
The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.
Squad Strategy
The tourists wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Standouts
Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected during the series by swiping eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries.
Low-key Environment
The team's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "former players".
A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.
Stokes Supreme Return
Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Will Jacks Strengthens Claim
Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.
Prior to the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.
Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.
Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.
In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.
Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.