Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance following July but England faced an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by hitting 84.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace 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 presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Although the captain took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

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