🔗 Share this article

The tourists have left decisions open for the series opener by selecting spin bowler Bashir in a squad of twelve together with five pace bowlers

The fast bowler is declared fit and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Western Australia on the weekend, with the last selection possibly coming down to spinner Bashir and pace bowler the seamer

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an all-pace attack - four dedicated bowlers plus multi-skilled player Stokes - it would possibly be the fastest group of pacemen they have fielded in an Ashes Test in this country

Earlier this week local wicket preparer the curator commented to expect "fast and bouncy conditions" from the surface at Perth Stadium, and it seems likely the tourists will follow a traditional approach of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the visitors have also noted a dryness to the pitch, bringing the off-spinner into contention

Spinning Options

During the brief existence of the ground - five earlier Tests have been staged here - Australia off-spinner the experienced spinner is the top wicket-taker with twenty-nine

England have backed the young spinner, 22 years old, as their primary spin option for over twelve months and in spring he became the least experienced English bowler to attain 50 wickets in Test matches

But he has missed a official match after claiming the final wicket in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the third Test at Lord's in summer

Recent Challenges

The spinner has been suffering from a hand problem and struggled in the sole practice game against England Lions, returning combined figures of two wickets for 151 runs from twenty-four overs

It also raises the scenario of the spinner participating in an Ashes Test without being affiliated with a domestic team

His contract at the domestic team concluded at the finish of the English season

Expected Selection

Still, an visiting team including Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Carse - each of whom are capable of reaching high speeds - continues to be the most likely outcome

The first Test begins at 2:20 AM GMT on Friday, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights provided

Team Selection

Selected players for initial Ashes match: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Smith (gloveman), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Bashir

Team Background

While a number of English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have never fielded as numerous fast bowlers in the equivalent side

The side that succeeded at home in the famous series of 2005 Ashes featured Steve Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in 1970-71 had Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the England team that succeeded in that period contained Brian Statham and Tyson

Modern Context

This time around - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in recent memory - the visitors are looking to change an difficult past - they have not won a five-day game in Australia since 2011

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have experienced a international Test in Australia, but the bowler states that could benefit the English team

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

"We've seen a lot of players who have mentioned they have had challenging periods here in Australia

"Regarding our team, we are a quite calm, extremely confident group

"No scarring

"It's exhilarating

"The entire team views it as a huge opportunity to create history"

Australian Preparations

The Australian net session on Wednesday was briefly delayed by the possibility of bad weather

Australia are likely to give a debut to opener Jack Weatherald, with uncapped pace bowler Brendan Doggett also coming in after health issues to skipper Cummins and teammate Hazlewood