Ben Stokes Takes Six Scalps in English Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his initial appearance after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation sucked 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 field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also made fifties.

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by labeling the doubters "has-beens".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes 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 full pace for two months and appeared 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 nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.