Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: still to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance following July but the tourists encountered an injury concern regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – each to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting eighty-four.

McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Matthew Potts also made half-centuries.

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

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a packed main stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of England's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of regaining 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 60 days and looked in good condition 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 – the team look to have shown their hand with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and again after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.