Ben Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain produced six wickets in his first action following July but England faced an injury concern involving fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

England 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 potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring eighty-four.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Will Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have shown their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob 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 match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse missed the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.