Ben Stokes Secures Six Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Practice match, Lilac Hill (day one of 3)

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

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes achieved six wickets in his return to play since July but England faced an fitness worry involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up against the development squad in Western Australia.

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

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will have a scan on the following day.

The Wood situation drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell failed to press his case for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected later in the tour by swiping 84.

McKinney, 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 Stokes hit back by labeling the doubters "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what England will encounter at a packed main stadium the following week.

Stokes was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to push himself to breaking point. He missed the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not completed a full part in any of the team's past four series because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back 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 the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

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

Prior to the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI 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 position going to Josh Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener Ben McKinney edging to the keeper just after lunch.

Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer impressed observers. He was lively with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

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

Joe Root at least took a wicket in the closing stages when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.