Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number 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 sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by hitting 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by labeling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

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

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse missed the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

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

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

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