The Ashes: Doubts remain over Mark Wood for first Test after hamstring injury

England’s star quick Mark Wood remains in doubt for the first Ashes Test after breaking down on the opening day of the tour game against English Lions.

And it could be an even more costly blow than first thought with none of England’s touring backup bowlers showing signs of being able to fill his shoes.

Wood left the field halfway through day one at Lilac Hill Park after bowling eight overs, with England revealing he was struggling with hamstring stiffness.

He is set for scans on his left leg on Friday evening, with even a minor strain set to exclude him from the Perth Test starting in a week’s time.

However, he was at Lilac Hill doing light training away from prying eyes with England hopeful he will be able to bowl again on Saturday.

It leaves huge question marks over England’s ability to claim 20 wickets against Australia after their front-line pacers were all plundered on a flat deck at Lilac Hill.

England rolled out Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes on Thursday, with only skipper Stokes showing any sort of form.

He claimed six wickets as the rest of the quicks were hit for 382 in only a day’s play by the B team.

There are also injury clouds over Archer after his limited preparations were heavily criticised.

Despite arriving in Perth a week earlier than the bulk of the touring party, he wasn’t sighted at any training session until the full team landed, despite Stokes putting in sweat sessions alongside batting and bowling.

Archer and Wood don’t look like getting much of a swap out from the Lions attack either after Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett began England’s first dig with utter domination on Friday.

Duckett was dropped in the slips on six but otherwise he and his partner hit boundaries at will.

Matt Potts showed strong signs with the new ball but the remainder of the attack, made up of English County fair, were taken to task, England racking up 182 before losing a wicket 20 minutes after lunch.

However, the glutton of runs wasn’t enough to keep England great Michael Atherton awake, the former cricketer snoozing in the media tent.