Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his return to play following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

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

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Matthew Potts also scored fifties.

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by calling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes 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 torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

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

Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Although the captain took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.