Stokes Claims Six Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

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

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

The Wood situation removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

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

England's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the doubters "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts 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 team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Though the captain took the wickets, 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 Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

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