Ben Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in English Ashes Preparation Match
Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)
England Lions 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: yet to bat
Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.
Skipper's Outstanding Comeback
The England captain, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.
Wood's Fitness Worry
Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.
Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.
Team Planning
England aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Standouts
Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Environment
The team's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "former players".
A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.
Captain's Supreme Return
Stokes was excellent in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.
He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were presented.
Will Jacks Pushes Case
Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.
Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Although the captain took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.
In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.
Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.