Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. 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 automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

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

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

The team's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes responded by labeling the doubters "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

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

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. 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 the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.