Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his initial appearance following July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England wanted to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be selected during the series by swiping eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

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

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

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

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Jacob 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 match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.