Stokes Claims Six Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance following July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

England aimed to field 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 opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "past players".

A relaxed opening 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 main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

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

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers 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 place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.