Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his return to play after July but the tourists encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

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

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring 84.

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

England's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "former players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

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

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

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

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.