Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his return to play since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.

England wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping 84.

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

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in good condition on the match day, 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 – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before 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 first Test.

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

Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

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

Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.