Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his return to play since July but England faced an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by hitting eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also made fifties.

The team's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.