🔗 Share this article Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up Tour match, Perth venue (first day of three) Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52 England XI: still to bat Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth. Captain's Outstanding Comeback The England captain, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side. Mark Wood's Fitness Worry Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day. The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at the venue. Team Strategy The tourists aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November. In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the development squad. Batting Performance Standouts Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four. McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries. Relaxed Atmosphere England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "past players". A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what England will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week. Captain's Supreme Performance The captain was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear. The skipper has not managed a full part in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia. He has been practicing at full pace for two months and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented. Jacks Strengthens Claim Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the XI named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball. Even before the doubt over 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 first day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break. Though the captain took the scalps, 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 bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an economy of over eight. Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.