Stokes Claims Six Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but England faced an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad 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 against the Lions – each 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 afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

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

England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon during the series by swiping eighty-four.

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

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

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest 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 managed a complete participation in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series 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 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. 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 Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.