Ben Stokes Secures 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Tour match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

National team: awaiting batting

The England captain achieved six wickets in his return to play since July but England faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.

Stokes, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus England Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away 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 the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at the venue.

England wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and left spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell failed to press his claim for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks boosted his credentials to be called upon during the series by swiping 84.

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

The team's plan 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 "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out main stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not managed a full part in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for 60 days and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their intentions with the eleven named here. Still, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Jacob Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of illness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the fresh ball and once more after lunch, when he discomforted Will Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least claimed a scalp in the final session when Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.