Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his first action following July but England faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

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

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.

The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

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

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

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

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.