Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists encountered an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, returning after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and left off-spinner Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

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

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

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at the ground was certainly a world away from what England will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and appeared in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.