Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match
Practice game, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)
England Lions 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: still to bat
The England captain produced six wickets in his initial appearance following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.
Skipper's Outstanding Comeback
The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Concern
Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.
Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.
Team Planning
The tourists aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Highlights
Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.
Low-key Atmosphere
The team's plan to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".
A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.
Stokes Supreme Performance
The captain was superb in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.
The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches 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.
Will Jacks Strengthens Case
Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have shown their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.
Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.
Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.
Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.
In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of over eight.
Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.