Ben Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain produced six wickets in his return to play after July but England faced an injury concern about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Potts also scored fifties.

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

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

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Mark 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 opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.