Ben Stokes Claims Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of 3)

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

National team: yet to bat

Ben Stokes produced six wickets in his first action after July but England encountered an fitness worry regarding Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after approximately four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

England aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Bashir in the development squad.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be called upon during the series by scoring eighty-four.

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

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by labeling the critics "past players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what England will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

Stokes was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the home summer, only to strain himself to breaking point. He was absent from the last match with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's previous four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the Ashes 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 two months and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their hand with the XI named here. Still, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

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

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

Although Stokes took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for fifty-three with the final ball of the day.