Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his return to play following July but England encountered an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Perth.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

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

Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

The team's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but Stokes hit back by labeling the doubters "past players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

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

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead 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 England XI 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 position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.