Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his first action after July but the tourists faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

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

The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by swiping eighty-four.

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

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

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will face at a packed main stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

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

Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over 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 missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

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