Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his first action after July but the tourists faced an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Western Australia.

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

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon during the series by scoring 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – the team look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.