Ben Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but England encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

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

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring 84.

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

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

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and looked 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 opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Brydon Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

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

Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.