Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain delivered six wickets in his return to play following July but the tourists encountered an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 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 Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an automatic 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 possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon during the series by swiping eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

England's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four series because of various injuries and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in fine shape 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 feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will 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, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Joe Root at least took 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 fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.