Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his return to play after July but England encountered 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, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

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

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected later in the tour by hitting 84.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also made fifties.

The team's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a packed main stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at full pace for two months and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

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

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

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