Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine 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 issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface 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, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping 84.

McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes responded by labeling the doubters "former players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at full pace 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 wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

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

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

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