Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match
Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)
Development squad 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
England XI: yet to bat
Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his return to play since July but England faced an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.
Skipper's Outstanding Return
The England captain, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.
Wood's Fitness Concern
Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on Friday.
Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.
Team Planning
The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.
In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Standouts
Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.
Relaxed Environment
England's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.
Stokes Supreme Return
Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four series because of various injuries and the team's chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.
He has been practicing at full pace for two months and appeared in good condition on the match day, 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. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.
Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.
Joe Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.
