Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his initial appearance following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by hitting 84.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

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

Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.