Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

Wood's injury 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 Lilac Hill.

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

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

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

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

England's decision to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by labeling the doubters "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of the team's past four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have shown their hand with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after the break.

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher somehow hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.