Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match

Practice game, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain delivered six wickets in his first action since July but the tourists faced an injury concern about Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

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

Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Matthew Potts also scored fifties.

The team's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad 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 spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what England will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against India 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 completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four tours because of various injuries and the team's chances of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia.

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

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the first Test – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front 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 seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the initial match.

Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

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

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