Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain delivered six wickets in his initial appearance since July but England encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by scoring eighty-four.

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

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

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what England will face at a packed main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of England's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

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

In the absence of Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.