Ben Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his return to play after July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon 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 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

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

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring 84.

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

England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain 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 complete participation in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days 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 not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead 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 Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

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

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.