Ben Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

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

The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "has-beens".

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

Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from 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 presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

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