Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain produced six wickets in his return to play since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Perth.

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

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by hitting 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the doubters "former players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

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

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper 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 discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.