Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

England 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 opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, 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 England's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

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

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

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

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

Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

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

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.