Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his initial appearance after July but England encountered an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation sucked the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by swiping eighty-four.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.

The team's decision to play a single 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 opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.