Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Test Series Warm-up
Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)
England Lions 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
National team: yet to bat
The England captain achieved six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.
Captain's Outstanding Return
Stokes, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.
Wood's Injury Worry
Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.
The Wood situation drained 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.
Squad Strategy
England wanted to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.
In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Highlights
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.
McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.
Relaxed Environment
England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "former players".
A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.
Captain's Excellent Performance
Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.
The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous 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 Australia.
He has been practicing 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 presented.
Jacks Pushes Claim
Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.
Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.
Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.
