Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance following July but England faced an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "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 packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in Australia.

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

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

Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

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

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.