Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match
Tour match, Lilac Hill (day one of three)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
England XI: awaiting batting
The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his return to play since July but England faced 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
Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.
Wood's Fitness Concern
Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.
The Wood situation sucked the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.
Team Planning
England wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Performance Highlights
Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected later in the tour by hitting 84.
Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries.
Low-key Atmosphere
The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed 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 packed main stadium next week.
Stokes Supreme Return
The captain was excellent in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.
He has been practicing at maximum speed 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
Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.
Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.
Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.
Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.
Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.
