Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his initial appearance after July but the tourists encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, returning after nearly 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 Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

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

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also made fifties.

The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four tours 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 practicing at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

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

Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

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

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

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an economy of more than eight.

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