Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his first action after July but the tourists faced an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists selected an all-pace attack – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring eighty-four.

McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the doubters "past players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what the team 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 injury. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses 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 presented.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

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

Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.