Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)
Development squad 382: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52
National team: yet to bat
Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.
The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.
Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.
Wood's injury drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.
The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.
In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.
Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected during the series by scoring 84.
McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.
The team's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "has-beens".
A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a packed main stadium the following week.
The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.
The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.
He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.
Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.
Prior to the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack 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.
Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.
In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.
Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.
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