Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance since July but England encountered an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback 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 on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will receive scanning on Friday.

The Wood situation sucked the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

England aimed to bowl first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by scoring 84.

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

The team's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a smattering of fans at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of the team's past four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and appeared in fine shape on the match day, 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 opening match – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the first Test.

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

Although Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

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

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