Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight 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 sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.

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

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

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

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, 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.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.