Stokes Takes 6 Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his first action following July but England faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

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

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Mark 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 was absent from the first day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.