Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his initial appearance following July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

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

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

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

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

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

The captain 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 final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.