Stokes Secures Six Scalps in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his first action following July but England encountered an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

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

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

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

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what England will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

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

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.