Stokes Claims Six Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of three)

England Lions 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his return to play following July but England encountered an injury concern about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Perth.

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

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

England wanted to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

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

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

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.