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The English side has maintained flexibility for the series opener by including spin bowler Bashir in a squad of twelve together with five seamers

Mark Wood has been passed fit and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Perth Stadium on the weekend, with the final decision likely coming down to off-spinner Bashir and seamer Carse

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an pace-only bowling lineup - four dedicated bowlers combined with multi-skilled player Stokes - it would possibly be the fastest group of bowlers they have used in an Ashes Test in the host nation

On Wednesday WA groundsman the curator commented to expect "fast and bouncy conditions" from the surface at Perth Stadium, and it seems likely the English will stick to a established strategy of an pace-only strategy

Yet the English team have also noted a arid quality to the surface, bringing the off-spinner into consideration

Spin Considerations

During the brief existence of the ground - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the top wicket-taker with twenty-nine

The team have favored the young spinner, 22 years old, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in May he became the youngest England bowler to attain fifty wickets in Tests

However he has missed a official match since claiming the concluding scalp in a thrilling win over India in the third match at the famous ground in July

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been recovering from a finger injury and struggled in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, posting overall statistics of 2-151 from 24 overs

It also raises the prospect of the spinner participating in an Ashes match without being attached to a domestic team

The agreement at his county concluded at the finish of the English season

Expected Selection

Nevertheless, an England team containing Mark Wood, Archer, Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes and Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching high speeds - remains the expected conclusion

The initial game commences at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with instant commentary, expert analysis and real-time features available

Team Selection

Selected players for series opener: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (skipper), Jamie Smith (wk), Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

While a several successful Ashes campaigns at domestically and internationally have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously selected as numerous fast bowlers in the identical lineup

The side that succeeded at home in the celebrated contest of 2005 Ashes featured Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

The captain's successful touring team to Australia in that era had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the England team that won in 1954-55 featured Brian Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - among the most highly anticipated Ashes series in recent memory - the English team are aiming to reverse an difficult past - they have been unable to secure a five-day game in Australia since that year

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have played a Test in the host nation, but the bowler states that could benefit the English team

"This could represent an advantage," he explained to the press

"There have been a lot of players who have said they have had some tough times down under

"Regarding our team, we are a very relaxed, very positive group

"No bad memories

"It's very exciting

"Everyone considers it a massive chance to do something special"

Opposition News

The host team's training on recently was temporarily interrupted by the threat of lightning

The home side are probably going to provide an opportunity to opener Weatherald, with yet to debut pace bowler Doggett also being included due to injuries to captain Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood