Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain produced six wickets in his initial appearance after July but England encountered an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

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

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

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon during the series by scoring 84.

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

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

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly 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 home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.