Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance following July but the tourists encountered an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

The Wood situation removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England wanted to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

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

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 doubters "has-beens".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues 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 maximum speed for two months and appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.