Ben Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his first action since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled 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 out with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.

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

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by swiping 84.

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

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

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series 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 Tests in the host country.

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 wickets were presented.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to 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.

Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though the captain took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.