Ben Stokes Claims Six Scalps in English Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (day one of three)

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

National team: still to bat

The England captain achieved six wickets in his return to play after July but England faced an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Test preparation versus England Lions in Western Australia.

Stokes, making his comeback after almost four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two versus the Lions – each to catches 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 exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will undergo scanning on the following day.

Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to bowl first to build bowling fitness before the initial Test match at Optus Stadium, beginning on 21 November.

In a potential indication towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an all-pace attack – four specialists plus Stokes – and left off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Jacob Bethell didn't strengthen his case for inclusion in the Test side, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by hitting eighty-four.

McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.

The team's plan to play a solitary practice match against the Lions has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the doubters "past players".

A relaxed opening day in front of a small crowd of fans at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a sold-out Optus Stadium next week.

The captain was excellent in the series against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to breaking point. He was absent from the final Test with a shoulder tear.

The captain has not managed a full part in any of England's past four tours because of various injuries and the tourists' chances of winning back the Ashes are vastly diminished if he is absent from any of the five Tests 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 comprehend the way in which some of his dismissals were presented.

Will Jacks is not expected to play in the opening match – the team look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though the captain took the scalps, Archer impressed observers. 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, Joe Root was required to bowl 14 overs of his spin bowling. It was mediocre fare, costing 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight.

Root at least claimed a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow hit a full delivery to the fielder before Archer dismissed with a bouncer Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.