Stokes Secures Six Scalps in England Ashes Warm-up

Practice game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his return to play following July but the tourists encountered an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

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

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

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

England's decision to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the critics "former 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 the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front 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 team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.