🔗 Share this article Ben Stokes Takes Six Wickets in England Ashes Preparation Match Practice match, Lilac Hill (first day of 3) Development squad 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Ben Stokes 6-52 National team: still to bat The England captain delivered 6 scalps in his return to play after July but England encountered an injury concern involving Mark Wood on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up versus England Lions in Western Australia. Captain's Outstanding Return The England captain, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder injury, delivered sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 versus the Lions – all to catches taken on the leg side. Mark Wood's Injury Concern Pace bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months away with a knee problem, bowled a scheduled amount of 8 overs before leaving the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on Friday. The Wood situation drained the intensity out of the day, as the Lions were dismissed for three hundred eighty-two on a slow, low surface after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill. Team Planning England wanted to field first to accumulate bowling time before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November. In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad. Batting Standouts Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for inclusion in the Test side, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his credentials to be selected during the series by hitting 84. Ben McKinney, Jordan Cox, teenage Rew and Matthew Potts also scored fifties. Low-key Atmosphere 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 labeling the critics "has-beens". A low-pressure first day in front of a small crowd of fans at Lilac Hill was certainly a different experience from what the team will face at a packed main stadium the following week. Stokes Excellent Performance The captain was superb in the contest against India in the domestic season, only to push himself to injury. He was absent from the last match with a shoulder tear. The skipper has not managed a complete participation in any of the team's previous four series because of various injuries and the team's hopes of winning back the series are significantly reduced if he is absent from any of the five Tests in Australia. He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and appeared in good condition on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted. Will Jacks Pushes Case Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – England look to have revealed their hand with the eleven selected here. Still, he may have moved himself ahead of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball. Even before the concern over Mark Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test. Carse missed the opening day because of sickness, with his position going to Tongue. Tongue had opening batsman Ben McKinney caught behind just after the break. Though Stokes took the wickets, Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the fresh ball and again after lunch, when he caused problems for Will Jacks. In the omission of Bashir and with Mark Wood leaving the field, Joe Root was required to bowl fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 runs at an run rate of more than eight. Joe Root at least took a wicket in the final session when Matt Fisher somehow struck a full toss to the fielder before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.