Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but England faced an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

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

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Though the captain took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.