Ben Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Test Series Warm-up

Tour game, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his initial appearance since July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

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

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon later in the tour by swiping 84.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Potts also made fifties.

The team's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "has-beens".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

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

In the absence of Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of over eight.

Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.