Ben Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring 84.

McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored fifties.

England's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved 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 Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.