Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his first action after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury drained the energy 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 field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

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

The team's plan to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by labeling the doubters "past players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's 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 appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Jacob 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 bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.