Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his return to play following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee problem, 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.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an economy of more than eight.

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