Stokes Takes 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered six wickets in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler 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 Friday.

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

The tourists wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

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

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

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

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground 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 series against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of winning back 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 appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

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

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

Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.