Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists faced an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – each to catches on the on-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 leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

England aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test 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 Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by scoring eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

England's decision to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

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

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

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