Stokes Shines with 6-Fer on England's Pre-Ashes Warm-Up Day

England’s Ashes tour opener was marked by a day of contrasts. While an early injury scare marred the return of Mark Wood, Ben Stokes gave England a morale boost with a commanding performance, taking 6 for 52 against the England Lions on a slow pitch at Lilac Hill.

Mark Wood, in his first competitive outing after knee surgery, was forced to leave the field after experiencing hamstring stiffness. He had bowled two four-over spells before the injury, and a precautionary scan was taken, casting a shadow over his much-anticipated return to competitive cricket.

Despite this setback, Stokes put in a stellar shift, taking six wickets from 16 overs. All his wickets came from shorter-length deliveries, showing off his intensity and fitness, especially after ramping up his bowling loads following a shoulder injury in July. 

The surface was slow, with several nicks failing to carry to the slips, making Stokes’ performance all the more impressive.

England had some help from batters who holed out, but Stokes’ energy and fitness stood out on the sedate surface. The first Test at Optus Stadium is set to be much faster and bouncier, so the preparation on this pitch was far from ideal. Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, meanwhile, tried to produce trademark aggressive deliveries, but the Lions’ batters remained largely untroubled.

Opener Ben McKinney and a host of others, including Jordan Cox, Will Jacks, 17-year-old Thomas Rew, and Matthew Potts, all contributed aggressive half-centuries, helping the Lions post a total of 382 from 79.2 overs by the end of the day.

"It was good to get miles in the legs. To walk off the pitch with 10 wickets was a successful day," England batter Harry Brook told reporters. "It was [the surface] a little bit slow, but we can't do much about that. We’ve got the opportunity to go out there, and bat tomorrow and hopefully we can go past their score."

As hinted by Stokes the night before, England's squad was given a chance to showcase their talents, with the main XI fielding a pace-heavy attack, suggesting that the team hierarchy is leaning toward pace for the first Test. Meanwhile, off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was included in the Lions XI, while fast bowler Brydon Carse was absent due to illness.

Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson took the new ball and tried to shake off the rust on the flat pitch. Despite several short balls, they were unable to break through as McKinney, in aggressive form, held strong. Archer, in his first six-over spell, had no luck with a breakthrough.

The match was set against the picturesque backdrop of the wineries, but the action was slow, prompting Stokes to rally his side. He came on first-change and picked up two key wickets, skipper Tom Haines and a sluggish Jacob Bethell. Bethell had faced 16 balls before he hammered the next delivery straight to square leg.

Stokes’ six-over spell saw him occasionally wayward but ultimately untroubled, silencing any lingering fitness concerns. Wood’s first spell had been economical, costing just 12 runs, as he tried to make something happen on the docile surface. McKinney had been aggressive but was dismissed just after the lunch break, nicking off to Josh Tongue.

Mark Wood had Jordon Cox on the back foot with some sharp deliveries before his departure, which added tension to the day. The rest of the Lions’ batters, sensing an opportunity, began to take more risks in the final stages of the innings.

Stokes continued charging in with another six-over spell from the other end. His wickets came thanks to the Lions’ ultra-aggressive tactics, and the last session of the day turned into something of a lark. Potts took on Joe Root’s spin, launching several sixes into the next field, while Root’s figures spiraled to 1 for 117 from 14 overs.

Archer claimed Potts’ wicket to ensure he wasn’t wicketless as the day’s play wrapped up.

This warm-up match has been held about 30 kilometers from Perth at a suburban ground, a far cry from the main venue where Sheffield Shield matches are underway. 

Some of the rowdy behavior from passing cars could be heard, particularly from a local tabloid’s mocking portrayal of Stokes and Root. 

But there was no rowdiness from the several hundred fans at the ground, most of whom were England supporters, leaving the day with mixed feelings.