Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but England encountered an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation removed 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 Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.

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

The team's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

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

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

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

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.