Ben Stokes Secures Six Scalps in English Ashes Preparation Match

Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his initial appearance after July but England encountered an injury concern about Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

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

England 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 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 selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's decision to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

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

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

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

Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.