Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain achieved 6 scalps in his first action after July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Western Australia.

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

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a sluggish pitch after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his claim for inclusion in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks boosted his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting eighty-four.

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

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "past players".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the contest against the Indian team in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the concern over 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 was absent from the first day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

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

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of over eight.

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