Stokes Takes Six Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his return to play following July but England faced an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

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

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

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

Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.