Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance following July but England encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by hitting 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been bowling at maximum speed 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 wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.