Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his return to play following July but England faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

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

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

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

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers 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 position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

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

In the omission of 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 over eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.