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The English side has kept their options open for the series opener by including slow bowler Shoaib Bashir in a squad of twelve alongside five seamers

Mark Wood has been passed fit and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Perth on the coming Friday, with the final decision probably involving the young spinner and pace bowler the seamer

Wicket Factors

If the visitors select an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers along with multi-skilled player Ben Stokes - it would arguably be the fastest group of bowlers they have used in an Ashes match in Australia

Recently Western Australia groundsman McDonald commented to anticipate "speed and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it looks possible England will stick to a established strategy of an pace-only strategy

However the tourists have also spotted a arid quality to the surface, bringing the spinner into contention

Slow Bowling Factors

During the brief existence of this venue - five prior matches have been staged here - Australian off-spinner Lyon is the most successful bowler with 29

The team have backed Shoaib, 22, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in May he achieved the youngest England bowler to achieve fifty wickets in Test matches

However he has been absent from a competitive game following claiming the concluding scalp in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the third Test at Lord's in July

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been recovering from a finger injury and struggled in the sole practice game against the development squad, recording match figures of two wickets for 151 runs from his bowling spell

It also raises the scenario of the spinner competing in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a domestic team

His contract at Somerset ended at the end of the home summer

Probable Team

Nevertheless, an English side containing Wood, Archer, Gus Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes and Carse - each of whom are likely to hit 90mph - continues to be the expected conclusion

The opening match starts at 2:20 AM GMT on the weekend, with instant commentary, specialist radio coverage and live action clips provided

Team Selection

Selected players for first Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Ben Stokes (skipper), Smith (wicketkeeper), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

Although a various English Ashes victories at home and abroad have been founded on quick bowling, they have never fielded as multiple quick bowlers in the identical lineup

The side that succeeded at domestically in the famous series of 2005 Ashes included Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in 1970-71 had Bob Willis, Lever and Snow, and the England team that won in that period featured Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - among the most highly anticipated Ashes series in recent years - England are looking to reverse an awful record - they have failed to win a Test in the host country since 2011

Just five players of the extended squad have played a international Test in the host nation, but Atkinson comments that could help the visitors

"It could be an positive," he told media outlets

"There are a lot of players who have mentioned they have had some tough times here in Australia

"In our case, we are a quite calm, very positive squad

"No negative experiences

"It's very exciting

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

Opposition News

Australia's training on recently was momentarily paused by the threat of lightning

The home side are likely to provide an opportunity to opener Weatherald, with new pace bowler Brendan Doggett also joining following fitness concerns to captain Cummins and colleague Josh Hazlewood