Ben Stokes Takes 6 Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his return to play since July but England faced an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

England wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

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

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

The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed main stadium the following week.

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

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape 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 opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.