Stokes Claims Six Scalps in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his return to play following July but England faced an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by hitting 84.

McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

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

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