Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain delivered six wickets in his initial appearance since July but England faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

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

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by hitting 84.

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

England's decision to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front 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 seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

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