Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match
Tour match, Lilac Hill (day one of three)
England Lions 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
National team: still to bat
Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his return to play after July but England encountered an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Western Australia.
Skipper's Impressive Comeback
The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.
Mark Wood's Injury Concern
Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.
Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.
Team Strategy
England aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Highlights
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by scoring 84.
McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.
Low-key Atmosphere
England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the doubters "has-beens".
A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.
Stokes Excellent Performance
The captain was excellent in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.
He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Jacks Pushes Case
Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup 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 place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.
Though the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.
Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.
