Ben Stokes Takes 6 Wickets in English Test Series Preparation Match

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain produced six wickets in his return to play since July but England encountered an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after approximately four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells for his six for fifty-two against the Lions – all to catches on the on-side.

Fast bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a scheduled amount of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for 382 on a slow, low surface after an uncontested toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists aimed to field first to accumulate bowling time before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, starting on November 21st.

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

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be selected later in the tour by swiping 84.

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

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "former players".

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

The captain was excellent in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been bowling at maximum speed for 60 days and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

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

Even before 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.

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

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

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Joe Root was required to deliver 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an economy of over eight.

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