Stokes Takes Six Scalps in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance since July but England encountered an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed opening 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 main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the team's chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.