Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his initial appearance following July but England faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

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

England wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected during the series by hitting 84.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries.

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 "has-beens".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes 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 Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over 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 opening day because of illness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.