Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance following July but England encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

England wanted to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

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

Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes responded by calling the critics "past players".

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

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

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after the break.

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

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.