Ben Stokes Secures Six Scalps in English Test Series Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered six wickets in his return to play following July but England encountered an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on Friday.

Wood's injury sucked the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

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

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

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

England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by labeling the critics "former players".

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

The captain was excellent in the contest 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 completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

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

Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.