Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his first action following July but England faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

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

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by hitting 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also made half-centuries.

The team's decision to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

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

Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named 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.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

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

Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra 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 Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.