Stokes Secures Six Scalps in English Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his first action following July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed 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 all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by scoring 84.

McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed 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 Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

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

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.