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The English side has left decisions open for the series opener by naming slow bowler the young spinner in a twelve-player team combined with five fast bowlers

Mark Wood has recovered and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Perth on the weekend, with the final decision probably involving off-spinner Bashir and fast bowler the seamer

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an all-pace attack - four specialists along with multi-skilled player the captain - it would arguably be the most rapid assembly of bowlers they have deployed in an Test against Australia in this country

Recently WA wicket preparer Isaac McDonald commented to anticipate "speed and bounce" from the pitch at Perth Stadium, and it appears probable England will stick to a established strategy of an exclusively pace attack

But the English team have also observed a dryness to the wicket, putting the off-spinner into the running

Spinning Options

Throughout the limited timeframe of this venue - five previous Tests have been hosted here - Australian off-spinner Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29

England have favored Shoaib, twenty-two, as their main slow bowler for more than a year and in May he became the least experienced English bowler to attain 50 wickets in international Tests

However he has not played a official match since taking the last dismissal in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the final Test at Lord's in July

Recent Issues

He has been recovering from a hand problem and struggled in the sole practice game against the Lions, posting combined figures of 2-151 from his bowling spell

This presents the possibility of the spinner competing in an Test against Australia without being affiliated with a first-class side

The agreement at Somerset expired at the end of the home summer

Likely Lineup

Still, an English side including Wood, Archer, Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are able to achieve 90mph - stays the probable result

The initial game begins at 02:20 GMT on Friday, with live text coverage, expert analysis and real-time features provided

England Squad

England squad for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

While a various English Ashes victories at home and abroad have been built on pace, they have not previously selected as many express pace bowlers in the same team

The lineup that won at in England in the famous series of 2005 Ashes featured Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in that era had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the English side that succeeded in 1954-55 featured Statham and Tyson

Modern Context

On this occasion - potentially the most exciting Ashes series in recent years - the visitors are looking to overturn an awful record - they have failed to win a Test match in the host country since over a decade ago

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have played a international Test in Australia, but the bowler says that could benefit the English team

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

"There are a lot of players who have stated they have had challenging periods down under

"In our case, we are a extremely composed, extremely confident squad

"No negative experiences

"It's thrilling

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

Opposition News

The Australian practice session on this week was briefly delayed by the threat of lightning

The home side are expected to hand a first cap to opener Weatherald, with new fast bowler Doggett also coming in after fitness concerns to captain Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood