Stokes Takes 6 Scalps in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his initial appearance following July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

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

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

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

Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's decision to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "has-beens".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' 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 full pace for 60 days and appeared in good condition 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 first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match 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. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.