Ben Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match
Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)
Development squad 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: still to bat
The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his first action since July but England faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.
Skipper's Impressive Comeback
Stokes, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.
Wood's Fitness Worry
Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.
Wood's injury drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.
Squad Planning
England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.
In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Performance Standouts
Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.
Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.
Relaxed Environment
The team's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.
Stokes Excellent Return
The captain was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.
He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.
Jacks Strengthens Case
Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.
In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.
Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.