Ben Stokes Claims 6 Wickets in England Ashes Warm-up

Practice match, Perth venue (first day of three)

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

National team: yet to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his first action since July but England faced an injury concern about fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.

The England captain, making his comeback after nearly four months out with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 versus England Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring issue. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury sucked the intensity out of the day, as the England Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

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

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the visiting team fielded an all-pace attack – four specialist bowlers plus the captain – and left spin bowler Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his case for selection in the Test side, making just two runs, but Will Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by scoring 84.

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

England's plan to play a solitary practice match against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "has-beens".

A low-pressure opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was certainly a world away from what the team will encounter at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was superb in the contest against the Indian team 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 the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the tourists' hopes of regaining the series are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in the host country.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and looked in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Jacks is not expected to feature in the opening match – England look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Still, he may have nudged himself ahead of the struggling Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the doubt over 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 illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had Lions opener McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although the captain took the wickets, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the fresh ball and once more after the interval, when he caused problems for Will Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to mid-on before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.