Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his first action following July but England encountered an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number 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.

Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

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

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the doubters "past players".

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

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.