Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour game, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain achieved six wickets in his first action after July but England faced an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

The tourists aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

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

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.

England's decision to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

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

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace for two months and appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.