Ben Stokes Takes Six Scalps in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

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

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England wanted to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring 84.

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

The team's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-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 the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

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

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

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

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.