Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his initial appearance after July but England faced an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out 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 receive scanning on the following day.

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

England wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

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