🔗 Share this article Ben Stokes Takes Six Scalps in English Ashes Warm-up Tour game, Perth venue (first day of three) Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52 National team: awaiting batting Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his return to play since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth. Skipper's Impressive Return Stokes, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side. Mark Wood's Injury Concern Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day. Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill. Squad Strategy The tourists wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November. In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions. Batting Performance Standouts Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by swiping eighty-four. McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also scored fifties. Low-key Environment England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "past players". A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week. Captain's Supreme Performance Stokes was superb 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 shoulder tear. The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances 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 maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented. Jacks Strengthens Claim Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace. Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test. Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch. Though the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively 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 Wood departing, Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight. Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.