Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but England faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected later in the tour by swiping 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a packed Optus 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 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 Ashes are vastly diminished 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 appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.