Ben Stokes Takes Six Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his first action since July but England encountered an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.

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

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

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England wanted to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning 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.

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

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

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

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will face at a packed main stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests 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 dismissals were gifted.

Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after the break.

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.