Ben Stokes Claims Six Scalps in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his first action since July but the tourists faced an injury concern about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

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

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected later in the tour by scoring 84.

McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

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

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace 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 dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Although Stokes took the scalps, Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.