Stokes Claims Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his initial appearance since July but England faced an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

The Wood situation sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, starting on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by swiping 84.

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

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

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

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

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.