Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his return to play since July but England faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by labeling the doubters "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next 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 skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Although the captain took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.