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The English side has left decisions open for the first Ashes Test by including slow bowler Bashir in a twelve-player team alongside five pace bowlers

The fast bowler is declared fit and appears likely to feature facing the hosts in Perth on Friday, with the last selection possibly involving spinner Bashir and pace bowler the seamer

Wicket Factors

If the visitors select an all-pace attack - four dedicated bowlers plus multi-skilled player the captain - it would arguably be the most rapid assembly of seamers they have deployed in an Ashes Test in the host nation

Earlier this week WA wicket preparer McDonald said to anticipate "pace and bounce" from the surface at the venue, and it looks possible the tourists will follow a long-standing plan of an fast bowling focus

Yet the visitors have also noted a lack of moisture to the surface, placing Bashir into contention

Spinning Options

During the brief existence of Perth Stadium - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler with 29 dismissals

The team have supported the young spinner, twenty-two, as their first-choice spinner for since last year and in spring he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to achieve half-century of wickets in international Tests

However he has been absent from a competitive game after claiming the concluding scalp in a exciting triumph over India in the third Test at Lord's in July

Current Concerns

The spinner has been recovering from a finger injury and found it difficult in the sole practice game against the Lions, recording overall statistics of two wickets for 151 runs from his bowling spell

This presents the possibility of him playing in an Test against Australia without being attached to a first-class side

His deal at the domestic team ended at the end of the home summer

Likely Lineup

However, an visiting team containing Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, captain Stokes and Carse - each of whom are able to achieve 90 miles per hour - stays the expected conclusion

The first Test starts at early morning GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and live action clips available

Team Selection

England squad for series opener: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (gloveman), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

Even though a number of successful Ashes campaigns at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously used as many express pace bowlers in the identical lineup

The team that succeeded at home in the famous series of that year contained Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's successful touring team to Australia in that era had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the English side that succeeded in 1954-55 contained Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Current Situation

This time around - one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series in recent memory - England are looking to overturn an difficult past - they have failed to win a Test match in the host country since 2011

Only five members of the 16-man squad have experienced a international Test in the host nation, but Atkinson comments that could help the visitors

"It could be an positive," he mentioned to the press

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

"In our case, we are a quite calm, highly optimistic team

"No scarring

"It's exhilarating

"Everyone considers it a massive chance to achieve something remarkable"

Opposition News

The host team's training on recently was momentarily paused by the risk of storms

Australia are likely to give a debut to batsman Weatherald, with new seamer Brendan Doggett also joining after injuries to skipper Pat Cummins and teammate Hazlewood