Stokes Takes 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by scoring 84.

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

The team's decision to play a single practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the critics "former players".

A relaxed 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 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 shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing 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 presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven 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 concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted 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 average performance, costing 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.