Practice match, Perth venue (first day of 3)
England Lions 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
England XI: awaiting batting
Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his return to play since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.
The England captain, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches on the leg side.
Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.
Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.
The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.
In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.
McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.
England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".
A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.
The captain was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.
The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.
He has been bowling 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 wickets were presented.
Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI 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 position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.
Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.
In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.
Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.
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