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

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his first action since July but the tourists encountered an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

The tourists aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping 84.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by labeling the doubters "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the team's chances 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 60 days and looked 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 play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named 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.

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

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly 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.