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The English side has left decisions open for the initial Ashes match by selecting slow bowler Shoaib Bashir in a twelve-player team alongside five pace bowlers

The fast bowler has been passed fit and seems set to play against Australia in Perth Stadium on the coming Friday, with the last selection likely involving off-spinner Bashir and pace bowler Carse

Ground Situation

Should England choose an all-pace attack - four main pacers plus all-rounder the captain - it would arguably be the quickest collection of pacemen they have fielded in an Ashes Test in Australia

Earlier this week WA wicket preparer the curator commented to expect "fast and bouncy conditions" from the pitch at the stadium, and it seems likely England will adhere to a long-standing plan of an pace-only strategy

Yet the English team have also observed a arid quality to the surface, putting the off-spinner into consideration

Spinning Options

Throughout the limited timeframe of Perth Stadium - five prior matches have been staged here - Australia spin bowler the experienced spinner is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

The English management have favored Bashir, 22 years old, as their primary spin option for more than a year and in May he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to reach 50 wickets in Test matches

But he has not played a official match after taking the final wicket in a dramatic victory over India in the final Test at the famous ground in July

Current Concerns

Bashir has been suffering from a hand problem and found it difficult in the single preparation match against England Lions, recording overall statistics of two wickets for 151 runs from twenty-four overs

This creates the possibility of him competing in an Ashes Test without being attached to a domestic team

His contract at his county expired at the finish of the English season

Likely Lineup

Nevertheless, an English side including Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, leader Stokes and Carse - each of whom are capable of reaching 90mph - remains the probable result

The first Test starts at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, expert analysis and in-play highlights accessible

Playing Group

Team lineup for series opener: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (leader), Smith (gloveman), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

Although a various England Ashes triumphs at home and abroad have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously selected as multiple quick bowlers in the equivalent side

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

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to Australia in those years had Bob Willis, Lever and Snow, and the English side that won in that period featured Statham and Tyson

Current Situation

On this occasion - potentially the most exciting Test series in recent memory - the English team are aiming to overturn an difficult past - they have been unable to secure a Test in the host country since 2011

Just five players of the 16-man squad have experienced a Test match in Australia, but Atkinson states that could benefit the English team

"This could represent an advantage," he told media outlets

"We've seen a many cricketers who have mentioned they have had challenging periods down under

"For us, we are a very relaxed, very positive squad

"No bad memories

"It's exhilarating

"The entire team views it as a huge opportunity to do something special"

Australian Preparations

The Australian practice session on this week was temporarily interrupted by the threat of lightning

The home side are expected to hand a first cap to opener Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut fast bowler Doggett also being included following injuries to captain Cummins and colleague Hazlewood