Ben Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered six wickets in his initial appearance after July but England encountered an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test 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 specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon during the series by hitting eighty-four.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "former players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

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

Though the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

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

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.