Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his first action after July but England encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

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

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

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by labeling the critics "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

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

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

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

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