Ben Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his first action following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch 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 slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

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

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner 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 credentials to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of winning back 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 looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand 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 concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.