Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in English Test Series Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his initial appearance after July but the tourists faced an injury concern regarding Mark Wood on the first day of their Test preparation against England Lions in Western Australia.

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

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight 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 England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted 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 opening Test strategy, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

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

England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but Stokes hit back by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was definitely a world away from what England will face at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

Stokes was excellent in the contest against India in the home summer, only to strain himself to injury. He was absent from the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the team's chances of winning back the series are vastly diminished if he misses any of the five Tests in the host country.

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and looked 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 – England look to have shown their intentions with the XI named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game 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 opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although Stokes took the wickets, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood departing, Joe Root was asked to bowl 14 overs of his off-spin. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 at an economy of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.