Ben Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in England Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his first action since July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – all to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on Friday.

Wood's injury removed the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

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

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

England's plan to play a single practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but the captain hit back by calling the critics "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was definitely a different experience from what England will face at a packed Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to play in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this match may not have been the attack for the initial match.

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

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

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full toss to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.