Stokes Takes 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

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

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left off-spinner Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by labeling the critics "former players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

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

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

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

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

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.