Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain achieved six wickets in his initial appearance following July but England encountered an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

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

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

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

The tourists wanted to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

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

McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.

England's decision to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes responded by calling the critics "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of the team's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's 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 maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup 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 position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though the captain took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

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