Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his return to play after July but England faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

The England captain, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

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

Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by hitting 84.

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

The team's plan 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 doubters "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling 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 gifted.

Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben 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 absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.