Stokes Secures Six Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain delivered six wickets in his return to play since July but England faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

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

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation removed the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by scoring eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "former players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests 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 play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

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

Though the captain took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

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