Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain delivered six wickets in his initial appearance since July but England faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an uncontested toss at the venue.

England wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored fifties.

England's decision to play a single practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by labeling the doubters "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 the following week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of the team's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and appeared in good condition 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 – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after the break.

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.