🔗 Share this article

The tourists have left decisions open for the initial Ashes match by including slow bowler Bashir in a 12-man squad together with five fast bowlers

The fast bowler has been passed fit and is expected to participate against Australia in Perth on Friday, with the last selection possibly between spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse

Ground Situation

Should England choose an fast bowling unit - four main pacers plus all-rounder the captain - it would potentially be the fastest group of pacemen they have deployed in an Ashes match in Australia

On Wednesday WA wicket preparer McDonald commented to expect "pace and bounce" from the pitch at Perth Stadium, and it seems likely the English will stick to a long-standing plan of an exclusively pace attack

However the English team have also observed a dryness to the surface, placing Bashir into the running

Spinning Options

In the short history of Perth Stadium - five previous Tests have been played here - Australia spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler with 29 dismissals

England have supported Shoaib, 22, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in May he became the least experienced English bowler to achieve fifty wickets in Test matches

However he has not played a first-class game since securing the concluding scalp in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the third match at the famous ground in summer

Current Concerns

The spinner has been recovering from a finger injury and had challenges in the sole practice game against England Lions, recording overall statistics of 2 for 151 from his bowling spell

This creates the possibility of him participating in an Ashes Test without being attached to a first-class side

The agreement at the domestic team expired at the conclusion of the domestic season

Probable Team

Still, an England team featuring Wood, Archer, Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching 90mph - stays the expected conclusion

The initial game commences at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and live action clips accessible

Playing Group

Team lineup for first Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (skipper), Smith (gloveman), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

While a several English Ashes victories at home and abroad have been built on pace, they have not previously used as multiple quick bowlers in the identical lineup

The lineup that succeeded at in England in the celebrated contest of 2005 featured Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in 1970-71 had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the English side that triumphed in that period featured Statham and Tyson

Current Situation

In this instance - among the most highly anticipated England-Australia contests in modern times - England are hoping to overturn an difficult past - they have not won a Test in the host country since over a decade ago

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

"This might be an advantage," he explained to the press

"There have been a numerous athletes who have said they have had difficult experiences in this country

"Regarding our team, we are a extremely composed, highly optimistic squad

"No scarring

"It's very exciting

"We all see it as a massive chance to create history"

Australian Preparations

The Australian training on Wednesday was momentarily paused by the threat of lightning

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