Ben Stokes Secures Six Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

England Lions 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his return to play after July but the tourists faced an injury concern about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Perth.

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

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

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

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

McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries.

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

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.

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

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace 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 dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

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

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

Though the captain took the scalps, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.