Stokes Claims 6 Scalps in England Ashes Preparation Match

Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving 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 Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be selected during the series by scoring 84.

McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also scored half-centuries.

The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some former players but the captain responded by calling the critics "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the series against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's previous four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

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

Will Jacks is not expected to feature 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 almost a run a ball.

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

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

Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.