Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 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 removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.

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

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, 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 bowling unit for the first Test.

Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.