England Men's Cricket Team

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Jacob Bethell and Jordan Cox both struck half-centuries for England Lions to set up a run chase for England on the third and final day of the Ashes tour game in Perth.

Bethell's 70 from 80 balls was a much-needed return to form after a poor white-ball tour of New Zealand, but has probably come too late to put him in contention to play in Friday's first Test.

Cox would be a candidate for the Ashes squad if England need batting or wicketkeeping cover on the tour and his 57 was his second half-century of the match.

The Lions declared their second innings on 251-6, leaving England a target of 202 in just over a session.

Ben Duckett was out for a duck, unlucky to get a brutal lifter from Nathan Gilchrist, and Zak Crawley edged Matthew Potts to slip for only three.

Ollie Pope picked up from his first-innings century with 22 not out at tea, while Joe Root has the opportunity for time in the middle on eight.

England reached 33-2 at the interval.

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Stephan Shemilt
Chief Cricket Reporter at Lilac Hill

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England spinner Shoaib Bashir struggled on the third and final morning of the Ashes warm-up game against England Lions at Lilac Hill.

The off-spinner, playing for the first time since breaking a finger in the third Test against India in July, was moved from the Lions to the England XI in order to get more overs before the first Test against Australia.

But his nine wicketless overs cost 66 runs, an economy in excess of seven, as the Lions attacked with the intention of setting up a contest later in the day.

The Lions reached 154-2, a lead of 108, with the possibility of declaring to leave England a run chase across the afternoon.

Bashir bowled 12 overs for the Lions on day two, conceding 68 runs for his one wicket.

Ben McKinney made 68, his second half-century of the game for the Lions. Both McKinney and opening partner were dismissed by Brydon Carse, bowling for the first time on the Ashes tour after missing the beginning of this match through illness.

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Timothy Abraham
BBC Sport journalist

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Former England selector Ed Smith says Jofra Archer's explosive pace has provided captain Ben Stokes with the "firepower" he needs to win back the Ashes.

Archer was brought into the England fold in 2019 during Smith's time as national selector between 2018 and 2021.

Barbados-born Archer played an integral part in England's famous 50-over World Cup win that year and left an impression on the Ashes series that followed.

He endured a torrid period through injury in subsequent years but the 30-year-old has been carefully managed to ensure he was fit for this highly-anticipated series.

"I think everyone who watched Jofra Archer at Lord's on debut against Australia saw how he can influence matches," Smith told BBC Sport.

"England currently have access to pace and firepower which could be very important. So, to see him [Archer] fit at the start of the tour is very exciting.

"You don't need me to remind you of how often extreme pace has influenced a series in Australia."

Smith also said the decision over whether Ollie Pope or Jacob Bethell should bat at number three in the opening Test in Perth is likely to be more complex than is widely thought.

He added: "I wouldn't start with who am I am going to put here, who am I going to put there. I'd start with how do you take 20 wickets? How do achieve an element of superiority?

"My view of cricket selections is a bit different to most people. I don't start with 'who's your three? Who's your five?'

"Rather than individuals, I'm typically more interested in balance and how a team adds up to more than some of its parts. I think that they will be having those [selection] conversations now and then the names will fall out of them."

Stephan Shemilt
Chief Cricket Reporter at Lilac Hill

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Joe Root and Harry Brook failed to spend meaningful time in the middle in England's Ashes warm-up game, but Ollie Pope passed 50 on the second day against England Lions.

Root played a soft hook to be caught at mid-wicket off Matthew Potts for one, while Brook's skittish two suggested a disdain for this tour game.

In Brook's first 15 deliveries he twice danced down the pitch and attempted a T20-style scoop at opening bowler Matthew Fisher. From Brook's 16th delivery, he again advanced towards seamer Nathan Gilchrist, ending well outside leg stump as the ball hit the top of off.

The dismissals of Root and Brook were part of an overall slide of four wickets for 16 runs after openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley shared 182.

But Pope put his place in the team for the first Test against Australia beyond doubt with a measured unbeaten 50. Captain Ben Stokes, in his first innings since July, has been patient for an unbeaten 24.

England took tea on 263-4 in response to the Lions' 375, a total corrected by the scorers from 382 on day one.

Fast bowler Mark Wood remains at Lilac Hill and is due to have a scan on his left hamstring later on Friday.

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Stephan Shemilt
Chief Cricket Reporter at Lilac Hill

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England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett piled on the runs on the second morning of the Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

The pair moved England to 169-0 from only 27 overs in reply to the Lions' 382 all out.

On a run-filled, docile pitch at Lilac Hill, left-hander Duckett reached 83 from 82 balls and Crawley 71 from 87.

Duckett came through a number of alarms early in his innings, all off new-ball bowler Matthew Potts, who is in the Ashes squad but playing for the Lions.

On six, Duckett edged between Ben McKinney at first slip and Jacob Bethell at second, a catch McKinney should have taken. Duckett also slashed Potts through the cordon on 18 and 24.

Duckett could also have been run out on 55, but Will Jacks' throw from the covers missed the stumps at the striker's end.

Shoaib Bashir, England's first-choice Ashes spinner, looked rusty in two overs that cost 11 runs. Fellow off-spinner Jacks, also in the Ashes squad, bowled one over that went for six.

Mark Wood is at the ground and will have a scan on a tight hamstring later on Friday, while fellow fast bowler Brydon Carse has recovered from the illness that prevented him from taking part on Thursday.

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Steve Smith believes England may have picked the wrong bowlers for the Ashes, suggesting Australian wickets will be better suited to seam and swing than an all-out pace attack.

The tourists are relying on extreme pace, led by Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, for the five-Test series, with Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue also in the squad.

Almost all of them can deliver spells in excess of 90mph but none are seen as traditional seamers.

Smith, who will captain Australia in the first Test in Perth next week with Pat Cummins injured, said the wickets could better suit bowlers like James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Smith's assessment came after playing Sheffield Shield matches at the Gabba in Brisbane and Sydney Cricket Ground, where he was in fine touch with the bat

"It's different on the wickets now," Smith said.

"I mean, those sort of nibblers (seamers) can be quite tricky. So they might have got things the wrong way around, if that makes sense, in terms of the pace, from previous years.

"Obviously, they've got those guys at their disposal now. They probably weren't fit and ready, or old enough, maybe, a few years back.

"Sometimes the slower guys are almost harder to play on those wickets where you have to make the pace, but yeah, we'll wait and see, won't we?"

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Ben Stokes' impressive return to action continued with two more wickets in the afternoon session on the first day of England's Ashes warm-up game against England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, in his first game since July because of a shoulder injury, added to the two he claimed in the morning session for figures of 4-45 in the Lions' 208-5.

Just as in the morning, both of Stokes' afternoon wickets fell to pull shots. England Lions' Jordan Cox stood out for 53 before shovelling Stokes to long leg, where Rehan Ahmed was also caught for 16.

After the Lions began the session on 116-2, Josh Tongue had opener Ben McKinney caught behind shortly after lunch for 67.

On a warm day at Lilac Hill, England chose to bowl to get time in the field before the first Test against Australia at Optus Stadium on 21 November.

Mark Wood, returning after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a second four-over spell of the day, while Jofra Archer looked lively in a burst to Will Jacks.

Jacks is part of the Ashes squad but playing for the Lions in this game and was unbeaten on 28 at tea. Thomas Rew, the promising 17-year-old from Somerset, is on seven.

Stephan Shemilt
Chief Cricket Reporter at Lilac Hill

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Captain Ben Stokes took two wickets in his first outing since July on the first morning of England's Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

The all-rounder, returning after suffering a shoulder injury in the home summer, took both wickets to fall as the Lions moved to 116-2 in 26 overs.

On a sluggish pitch at Lilac Hill, Stokes struck with his fifth delivery, having Lions captain Tom Haines pull to mid-on for 20.

Jacob Bethell, batting at number three, failed to pressure Ollie Pope for a place in the Test side. Bethell spent 15 balls on nought before swiping Stokes to Jofra Archer at square leg.

As well as the encouragement of Stokes' six overs, England were boosted by the return of Mark Wood, bowling in a match for the first time since February following knee surgery. Wood reached pace in excess of 90mph in his four overs.

Lions opener Ben McKinney, heavily touted as an England prospect, reached 67 not out, while white-ball international Jordan Cox was unbeaten on 20.

Jofra Archer looked lively in his six-over opening burst and there were also spells for Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue. Joe Root, England's only spin option in the absence of Shoaib Bashir, bowled two overs.

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Stephan Shemilt
Chief Cricket Reporter at Lilac Hill

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England have potentially dropped a hint to their plans for the first Ashes Test by leaving spinner Shoaib Bashir out of the XI for their only warm-up match.

The tourists have named four frontline pace bowlers alongside all-rounder Ben Stokes in their attack for the three-day match against England Lions at Lilac Hill.

Spin has had a diminished role in Tests played in Australia over the past 10 years and Optus Stadium, the venue for the first Test, is particularly suited to seam bowlers.

In what could be close to the XI for the Ashes opener, fast bowler Mark Wood plays his first cricket since February following knee surgery.

Brydon Carse misses the opening day through illness, so his place in the England team has been taken by Josh Tongue. Carse has been named in the Lions' 13-man side, so could join the game later.

As expected, Ollie Pope will bat at number three for England, leaving him in pole position to fill the same role in the first Test. Jacob Bethell is at three for the Lions, who are batting first.

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