Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his first action after July but England faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

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

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

The Wood situation sucked 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.

The tourists wanted to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries.

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests 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 gifted.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.