Stokes Takes Six Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on Friday.

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

The tourists aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring eighty-four.

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

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "past players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus 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 torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – England look to have shown their intentions with the XI 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 doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game 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 Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.