Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain produced six wickets in his return to play following July but the tourists encountered an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Perth.

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

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

Wood's injury drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his claim to be selected during the series by hitting eighty-four.

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

The team's decision to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes 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 appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.