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The English side has maintained flexibility for the first Ashes Test by including spin bowler Bashir in a twelve-player team alongside five pace bowlers

Wood has been passed fit and appears likely to feature against Australia in Perth on Friday, with the last selection likely coming down to the young spinner and fast bowler the seamer

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an pace-only bowling lineup - four specialists plus all-rounder Ben Stokes - it would arguably be the quickest collection of pacemen they have used in an Test against Australia in this country

On Wednesday WA groundsman the curator stated to expect "speed and bounce" from the surface at Perth Stadium, and it looks possible the English will follow a established strategy of an pace-only strategy

However the visitors have also spotted a dryness to the wicket, placing the off-spinner into contention

Spin Considerations

In the short history of Perth Stadium - five previous Tests have been hosted here - Australia off-spinner Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

The team have favored the young spinner, twenty-two, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in spring he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to attain half-century of wickets in Tests

Yet he has been absent from a official match since claiming the concluding scalp in a exciting triumph over India in the third Test at Lord's in recently

Recent Issues

Bashir has been out with a broken finger and had challenges in the single preparation match against England Lions, returning match figures of 2-151 from twenty-four overs

This presents the possibility of Bashir competing in an Ashes Test without being affiliated with a first-class side

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

Probable Team

However, an visiting team featuring Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, leader Stokes and Carse - every one of them are able to achieve high speeds - continues to be the most likely outcome

The initial game starts at 02:20 GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and in-play highlights accessible

England Squad

Selected players for initial Ashes match: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (captain), Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Archer, Bashir

Team Background

While a number of England Ashes triumphs at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously used as numerous fast bowlers in the equivalent side

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

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to Australia in 1970-71 had Bob Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the visiting team that won in 1954-55 included Brian Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series in recent memory - the English team are aiming to reverse an difficult past - they have been unable to secure a Test match in Australia since 2011

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have played a Test in the host nation, but Atkinson states that could work in England's favour

"This could represent an advantage," he explained to reporters

"We've seen a lot of players who have stated they have had some tough times in this country

"In our case, we are a very relaxed, highly optimistic squad

"No bad memories

"It's thrilling

"The entire team views it as a massive chance to do something special"

Opposition News

Australia's training on Wednesday was momentarily paused by the risk of storms

Australia are expected to give a debut to batsman Jack Weatherald, with uncapped pace bowler Brendan Doggett also coming in following injuries to skipper Pat Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood