Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in English Test Series Preparation Match
Tour game, Perth venue (first day of three)
England Lions 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
National team: yet to bat
The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his return to play following July but England faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.
Captain's Impressive Comeback
Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Worry
Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.
Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.
Squad Planning
England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Standouts
Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries.
Low-key Environment
England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".
A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.
Captain's Supreme Performance
Stokes was excellent in the series against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a torn shoulder.
The captain has not managed a full part in any of the team's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and appeared in good condition on the match day, 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 first Test – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected 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 Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup 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 position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. 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 delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.
