Ben Stokes Takes Six Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three 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 away with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed 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 left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

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

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

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed main stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

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

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

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

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.