Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine 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 Friday.

Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by labeling the critics "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

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

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

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

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

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.