Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his first action since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

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

The Wood situation removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by swiping 84.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes responded by labeling the critics "past players".

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

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob 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 attack for the first Test.

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

Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

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

Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.