Ben Stokes Claims Six Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his initial appearance following July but the tourists faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

Wood's injury 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.

England wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

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

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, 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 – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.