Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour match, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his initial appearance after July but England faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

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

The team's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "has-beens".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed 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 series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed 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 play in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

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

Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.