Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Lilac Hill (first day of three)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain produced six wickets in his return to play since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

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

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon 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 three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time 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 specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be selected during the series by hitting eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also made fifties.

England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes responded by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will face at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

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

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is not expected 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 out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

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

Although Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.