Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance following July but England faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

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

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

The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.