Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain produced six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England 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 first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping 84.

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

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

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

Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

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

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.