Stokes Secures Six Scalps in English Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain produced six wickets in his initial appearance after July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.

The team's plan to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the critics "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at full pace for two months and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

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

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game 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 Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.