It's great to have X-factor Archer, Wood possess: Stokes ponders pace bartage in Ashes opener

Perth, Nov 12 (IANS) Captain Ben Stokes has hinted England considering including pace duo Jofra Archer and Mark Wood in his side's XI for the opening Ashes Test in Perth to land a stunning first round blow on Australia’s batting order

England have arrived in Australia with a full book of health to choose from and with a strong pace attack that includes Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Archer and Wood that will all be given the chance to shine during the sole warm-up fixture against England Lions that commences on Thursday.

Due largely to injuries, Archer and Wood have never played a Test match together against Australia, but they have each had Ashes moments that stick in the memory.

Wood turned the 2023 series in England’s favour while Archer had a brilliant battle with Steve Smith without dismissing the Australian champion.

Using Archer and Wood in tandem while they reach speeds in excess of 150 km/h is a prospect that has Stokes pondering the best way to use his wealth of quality quicks ahead of the five-match ICC World Test Championship series.

"It's great to have the X-factor that Joff and Woody possess in terms of pace. Woody's obviously got over his knee surgery that he had quite a while ago. He's overcome that and he's looking really, really good.

"Joff has been out in the park for two and a half years now so it's great seeing those two flying in and getting some fast balls down there. Whether or not they get through (picked for) the first Test series probably remains to be seen," Stokes said in Perth on Wednesday.

Pressed on whether he would use Archer and Wood in the same side in Perth, Stokes remain tight-lipped.

"It would be exciting, wouldn't it?," Stokes said with a smile. It's nine days until that first Test starts, so there's a lot of time for stuff to form into place or for something to happen.

"But, at the moment, from a fast bowling point of view, the guys that we've picked are all in really, really good shape," he said.

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Stokes also shrugged off criticism of England's low-key Ashes preparation by claiming they will go 'balls to the wall' in their warm-up match against England Lions.

"Cricket's changed so much and preparation is nowhere near as simple as it used to be. You used to be able to come out on a tour a month-and-a-half, two months before the first game started. Now there's so much cricket packed into the schedule it's impossible to do it how it used to be done.

"But we've not been preparing for this tour not over the last three weeks, we've put a lot of thought and process into this for a few years now. So I don't know what else we're expected to do? There's Sheffield Shield cricket on at the moment so who would we play against?

'We're about to go out and face a team who have got a mix between our squad and also the next best players in England," said Stokes.

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