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The English side has left decisions open for the series opener by selecting off-spinner Bashir in a squad of twelve together with five fast bowlers

Mark Wood has been passed fit and seems set to play versus the Aussies in Perth on the coming Friday, with the ultimate choice probably coming down to the young spinner and fast bowler Carse

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers along with all-rounder Ben Stokes - it would possibly be the most rapid assembly of bowlers they have fielded in an Test against Australia in Australia

On Wednesday WA pitch curator McDonald commented to anticipate "speed and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it appears probable the English will stick to a traditional approach of an pace-only strategy

Yet the tourists have also observed a dryness to the wicket, bringing the off-spinner into the running

Slow Bowling Factors

During the brief existence of this venue - five earlier Tests have been hosted here - Australian spin bowler the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with 29

The English management have backed Shoaib, 22, as their main slow bowler for since last year and in spring he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to attain fifty wickets in Tests

Yet he has not played a competitive game after taking the last dismissal in a dramatic victory over India in the third Test at the famous ground in recently

Current Concerns

He has been suffering from a broken finger and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, recording combined figures of 2 for 151 from 24 overs

This creates the possibility of the spinner participating in an Test against Australia without being attached to a county

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

Expected Selection

However, an England team containing Wood, Archer, Atkinson, leader Ben Stokes and Carse - every one of them are able to achieve 90mph - remains the most likely outcome

The initial game begins at 2:20 AM GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and real-time features accessible

Playing Group

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

Team Background

Even though a several successful Ashes campaigns at domestically and internationally have been founded on quick bowling, they have never fielded as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

The side that won at in England in the celebrated contest of that year included Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to Australia in those years had Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the England team that triumphed in those seasons featured Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Modern Context

In this instance - one of the most eagerly anticipated Ashes series in recent memory - the English team are aiming to reverse an difficult past - they have not won a five-day game in Australia since that year

Only five members of the 16-man squad have participated in a Test in Australia, but Atkinson states that could work in England's favour

"This could represent an advantage," he mentioned to media outlets

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

"Regarding our team, we are a extremely composed, extremely confident group

"No bad memories

"It's very exciting

"We all see it as a huge opportunity to create history"

Opposition News

The host team's practice session on this week was temporarily interrupted by the possibility of bad weather

The home side are likely to give a debut to batsman Weatherald, with new pace bowler Doggett also joining after health issues to skipper Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood