Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)
Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
National team: still to bat
The England captain achieved six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists faced an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Perth.
Captain's Impressive Comeback
Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.
Mark Wood's Fitness Concern
Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.
Wood's injury removed the intensity 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
The tourists wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.
In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.
Batting Standouts
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected during the series by scoring 84.
McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.
Relaxed Atmosphere
The team's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by labeling the doubters "past players".
A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.
Captain's Supreme Return
The captain was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.
The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.
He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.
Jacks Strengthens Case
Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers 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 illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.
Though the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.
In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.
Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.
