England have received a major injury scare ahead of the Ashes after fast bowler Mark Wood experienced stiffness in his left hamstring during their only warm-up match in Perth. Wood, returning from nine months out following surgery on his left knee, bowled two four-over spells against the England Lions at Lilac Hills.

He left the field midway through his second spell after experiencing discomfort. Despite the hamstring issue, Wood delivered several lively balls on a relatively slow surface, which contrasts sharply with the expected conditions for the first Test at Optus Stadium. His fitness now remains a key concern for England ahead of the series opener.

"The plan for Mark Wood was for him to bowl eight overs today. He has some stiffness in his hamstring, which has kept him off the field for some time during the second session of the first day and will undergo a precautionary scan tomorrow. He is expected to bowl again in two days' time. It is unlikely he will return to the field today,” an ECB statement said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Wood featured as part of an all-out England pace attack against the England Lions, with offspinner Shoaib Bashir not selected in the main XI. Captain Ben Stokes was the standout performer, claiming four of the five wickets to fall before tea in an encouraging return to action in his first match since late July.

The development comes just a day after Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood was cleared of a hamstring issue. However, fellow Ashes squad member Sean Abbott was withdrawn from the Australian squad after scans confirmed a moderate-grade strain in his left hamstring.

In the tour match, the England Lions posted a total of over 300 runs in their first innings as opener Ben McKinney scored 67 off 92 balls, while Jordan Cox contributed 53 from 71 balls. Both Will Jacks and Tom Lawes also crossed the half-century mark, helping their side set a competitive total for England to chase.