Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain produced six wickets in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an injury concern about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – 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 Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping eighty-four.

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

The team's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of the team's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

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

Although the captain took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. 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 Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.