Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his return to play since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected during the series by hitting 84.

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

The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the critics "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his position going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

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

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.