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The English side has maintained flexibility for the initial Ashes match by naming off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a squad of twelve together with five fast bowlers

Mark Wood has been passed fit and is expected to participate against Australia in Perth on the coming Friday, with the last selection possibly coming down to spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

If England opt for an pace-only bowling lineup - four specialists combined with multi-skilled player Stokes - it would arguably be the quickest collection of seamers they have used in an Ashes match in the host nation

Recently WA groundsman Isaac McDonald stated to expect "speed and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it appears probable England will follow a long-standing plan of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the English team have also spotted a dryness to the surface, bringing Bashir into contention

Slow Bowling Factors

During the brief existence of Perth Stadium - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australia off-spinner Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29

England have favored Shoaib, 22 years old, as their primary spin option for over twelve months and in May he was recognized as the most youthful English bowler to achieve half-century of wickets in Test matches

Yet he has been absent from a first-class game after claiming the last dismissal in a dramatic victory over India in the final Test at Lord's in summer

Current Concerns

He has been recovering from a finger injury and found it difficult in the single preparation match against England Lions, posting match figures of 2-151 from 24 overs

It also raises the scenario of the spinner playing in an Ashes match without being attached to a county

His deal at Somerset concluded at the conclusion of the domestic season

Likely Lineup

Still, an England team featuring Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, leader Stokes and Carse - each of whom are capable of reaching 90mph - stays the most likely outcome

The opening match starts at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, expert analysis and real-time features provided

Team Selection

Team lineup for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (captain), Smith (gloveman), Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Historical Context

Even though a several successful Ashes campaigns at in England and overseas have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously used as many express pace bowlers in the identical lineup

The team that triumphed at home in the memorable competition of 2005 Ashes included Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in 1970-71 had Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the English side that succeeded in those seasons included Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - one of the most eagerly anticipated England-Australia contests in recent years - the English team are aiming to reverse an awful record - they have been unable to secure a Test match in Australia since that year

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

"This might be an positive," he mentioned to the press

"There have been a lot of players who have said they have had difficult experiences in this country

"In our case, we are a extremely composed, very positive squad

"No negative experiences

"It's exhilarating

"We all see it as a great possibility to achieve something remarkable"

Australian Preparations

Australia's net session on recently was temporarily interrupted by the risk of storms

Australia are likely to provide an opportunity to opener Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut seamer Brendan Doggett also being included after fitness concerns to captain Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood