Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour game, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

National team: still to bat

Ben Stokes produced 6 scalps in his initial appearance following July but England encountered an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on Friday.

Wood's injury 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 Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon later in the tour by hitting 84.

Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, 17-year-old Rew and Potts also made fifties.

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the doubters "former players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a packed main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of the team's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape 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 first Test – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

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

Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an economy of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Potts for fifty-three with the last delivery of the day.