Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain delivered six wickets in his first action following July but England faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace 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 problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

Wood's injury removed the intensity 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 the venue.

England wanted to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "has-beens".

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

Stokes was excellent in the series against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

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

In the absence of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.