Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match
Tour game, Perth venue (first day of 3)
England Lions 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
National team: still to bat
Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Western Australia.
Captain's Outstanding Comeback
Stokes, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches on the on-side.
Wood's Fitness Concern
Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on Friday.
The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.
Squad Strategy
The tourists aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Highlights
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping 84.
Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.
Low-key Environment
England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "past players".
A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England 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 strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.
The captain has not managed a full part in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.
He has been practicing at full pace 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 presented.
Jacks Strengthens Case
Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Though the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.
In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.
Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.