Stokes Claims Six Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

England Lions 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his return to play following July but England faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch 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 dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by scoring 84.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.

The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed main stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.