Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew 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 the captain responded by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.

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

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

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

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Mark 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 was absent from the first day because of illness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

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