Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his return to play following July but England faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning 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 sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping eighty-four.

McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.