Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

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

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the intensity 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.

England aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected during the series by hitting 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.

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

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

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

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

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