Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but England encountered an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

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

England wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by hitting eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by labeling the doubters "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver 14 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 closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.