Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up
Practice game, Perth venue (day one of 3)
England Lions 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: awaiting batting
Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his return to play following July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.
Captain's Outstanding Comeback
Stokes, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Concern
Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.
Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.
Team Strategy
England aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.
In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Performance Standouts
Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.
McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also made fifties.
Low-key Environment
The team's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the critics "past players".
A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.
Captain's Excellent Return
The captain was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.
The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.
He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.
Jacks Pushes Case
Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.
Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Brydon Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.
In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an run rate of more than eight.
Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.