Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52

England XI: awaiting batting

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

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

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

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

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

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by calling the doubters "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining 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 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand 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 seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.