Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

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

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

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

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

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected during the series by scoring 84.

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

England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will face at a sold-out main stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed 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 tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

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

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

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

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.