Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his first action following July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

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

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon during the series by scoring eighty-four.

McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also made fifties.

The team's decision to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

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

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

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Though the captain took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.