Ben Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his return to play following July but the tourists encountered an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

Wood's injury 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 aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes responded by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

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

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

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

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.