Ben Stokes Claims Six Scalps in England Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but England faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

England aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.

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

The team's decision to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed main stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at full pace for two months and looked 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 feature in the first Test – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, 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 initial match.

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

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

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.