Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out 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 issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

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

England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by labeling the doubters "has-beens".

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

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.