Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his return to play following July but England faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.

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

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon during the series by swiping 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will face at a packed main stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

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

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.