Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match
Tour game, Perth venue (first day of 3)
England Lions 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
England XI: still to bat
The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his first action since July but England faced an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.
Skipper's Outstanding Comeback
The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.
Wood's Injury Worry
Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.
Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.
Team Strategy
The tourists aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.
In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Highlights
Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.
McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Environment
England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the doubters "has-beens".
A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.
Captain's Excellent Return
The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.
The skipper has not completed a full part in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.
He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Jacks Pushes Case
Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.
Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.
Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.
Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.