Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

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

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

Wood's injury removed the energy 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 get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping eighty-four.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes 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 60 days and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

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

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.