Practice match, Perth venue (day one of 3)
England Lions 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
England XI: awaiting batting
The England captain produced six wickets in his initial appearance since July but England faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation 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, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Concern
Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.
Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.
Team Planning
England aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Standouts
Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.
Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Environment
England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "past players".
A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.
Stokes Supreme Return
The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.
He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.
Will Jacks Pushes Case
Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the concern 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 illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.
Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.