Ben Stokes Secures Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

England XI: awaiting batting

The England captain delivered six wickets in his first action following July but the tourists encountered an fitness worry involving fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Perth.

The England captain, making his comeback after almost four months out with a shoulder problem, delivered 16 overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions – each to catches taken on the on-side.

Pace bowler Wood, also making his comeback after 9 months away with a knee problem, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before departing the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury 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.

England aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the initial Test match at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the visiting team selected an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Will Jacks boosted his credentials to be selected during the series by swiping 84.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Rew and Potts also made fifties.

The team's plan to play a single warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain hit back by labeling the critics "former players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of spectators at Lilac Hill was certainly a world away from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium the following week.

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

The captain has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of regaining the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been bowling at full pace for two months and looked in good condition on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were presented.

Jacks is unlikely to feature in the opening match – England look to have shown their intentions with the eleven selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his 84, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five fast bowlers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the bowling unit for the first Test.

Brydon Carse missed the opening day because of illness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and again after the interval, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the absence of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, conceding 117 at an run rate of more than eight.

Joe Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly struck a full delivery to the fielder before Jofra Archer dismissed with a bouncer Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.