Stokes Secures Six Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

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

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes responded by labeling the critics "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus 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 was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

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

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although the captain took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.

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