Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his first action since July but England faced an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback 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 taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, 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 Friday.

Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by scoring eighty-four.

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

The team'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 "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's hopes of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling 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 wickets were gifted.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

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

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

Although the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.

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