Ben Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists faced an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim 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 single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "past players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the team's chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to mid-on before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.