Ben Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his first action after July but England faced an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

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 automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

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

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

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

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

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

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

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

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