Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (first day of three)

Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance after July but the tourists faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.

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

The tourists aimed to field first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

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

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.