Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain produced six wickets in his initial appearance following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.

Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon during the series by swiping eighty-four.

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

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly 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 push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged 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 bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.