Stokes Claims Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain produced 6 scalps in his first action after July but the tourists encountered an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

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

Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

England wanted to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob 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 later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation 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 Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

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

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed 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.