Ben Stokes Claims Six Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Tour game, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his return to play since July but England faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also made fifties.

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.