Ben Stokes Takes 6 Scalps in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice game, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain produced six wickets in his initial appearance following July but England faced an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

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

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

The tourists wanted to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

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

Ben 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 ex-players but Stokes responded by calling the critics "former players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

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 winning back 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 looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – England look to have shown their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

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

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

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