Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up
Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of three)
England Lions 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
National team: awaiting batting
The England captain produced 6 scalps in his first action since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.
Skipper's Impressive Comeback
Stokes, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Worry
Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.
Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.
Team Strategy
England wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Highlights
Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected during the series by hitting eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.
Relaxed Environment
The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "past players".
A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.
Captain's Excellent Performance
The captain was excellent in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.
The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.
He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were presented.
Will Jacks Strengthens Case
Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their hand with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the concern 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 was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Although the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.
In the absence of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to bowl 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 final session when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.
