Practice game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52
National team: yet to bat
Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.
Skipper's Impressive Comeback
The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.
Wood's Injury Concern
Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.
Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.
Team Planning
England aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.
Batting Performance Standouts
Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.
Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also scored fifties.
Low-key Atmosphere
England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by labeling the doubters "past players".
A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.
Stokes Excellent Performance
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 torn shoulder.
The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.
He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Will Jacks Pushes Claim
Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.
Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.
Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.
Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.
Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.
