Stokes Takes Six Scalps in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his return to play following July but England encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

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

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler 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 selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

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

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

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, 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 attack for the first Test.

Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

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

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.