Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match
Tour game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
England XI: yet to bat
Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his first action following July but England faced an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Western Australia.
Captain's Impressive Return
The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Worry
Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.
Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.
Team Planning
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 all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Standouts
Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Environment
England's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "past players".
A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a sold-out main stadium the following week.
Stokes Supreme Performance
Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.
The captain has not managed a full part in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in good condition 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 first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.
Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.
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 Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.
