Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match

Tour game, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his first action following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning 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 spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring 84.

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

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

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

Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.