Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his return to play after July but England encountered an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

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

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected later in the tour by scoring 84.

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

The team's decision to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by labeling the critics "past players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what England will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace 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 wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the XI named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although the captain took the scalps, 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 departing, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.