Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match
Practice game, Perth venue (first day of three)
Development squad 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
National team: yet to bat
The England captain produced 6 scalps in his first action following July but England faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.
Captain's Outstanding Comeback
The England captain, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.
Wood's Fitness Concern
Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.
The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.
Squad Strategy
The tourists aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Performance Standouts
Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by hitting 84.
McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.
Relaxed Atmosphere
The team's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned 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 world away from what England will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.
Stokes Excellent Return
The captain was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a torn shoulder.
The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.
Jacks Strengthens Claim
Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.
Brydon Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of over eight.
Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.
