Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

Ben Stokes achieved 6 scalps in his return to play since July but the tourists faced an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on November 21st.

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

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

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

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

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

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

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after the break.

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.