The English team Include the off-spinner in Team for Ashes First Test

England have maintained flexibility for the series opener by selecting spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in a twelve-player team combined with five fast bowlers

Mark Wood has been passed fit and seems set to play facing the hosts in Western Australia on Friday, with the final decision likely coming down to spinner Bashir and pace bowler Carse

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers plus multi-skilled player Ben Stokes - it would arguably be the fastest group of seamers they have deployed in an Test against Australia in this country

Recently local wicket preparer the curator commented to anticipate "pace and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it looks possible the tourists will adhere to a traditional approach of an fast bowling focus

But the tourists have also spotted a arid quality to the surface, putting the off-spinner into contention

Spin Considerations

During the brief existence of Perth Stadium - five previous Tests have been played here - Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the leading wicket-taker with 29

The English management have backed the young spinner, 22 years old, as their primary spin option for over twelve months and in May he achieved the youngest England bowler to reach 50 wickets in Test matches

But he has not played a official match since securing the concluding scalp in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the third Test at the famous ground in summer

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been suffering from a hand problem and had challenges in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, posting overall statistics of two wickets for 151 runs from twenty-four overs

This creates the possibility of Bashir participating in an Ashes match without being contracted with a first-class side

His deal at Somerset concluded at the conclusion of the domestic season

Probable Team

Nevertheless, an visiting team including Wood, Archer, Atkinson, leader Stokes and Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching high speeds - stays the most likely outcome

The opening match begins at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and live action clips accessible

Playing Group

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

Past Experience

Even though a several English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have never fielded as many express pace bowlers in the same team

The side that succeeded at home in the celebrated contest of 2005 contained Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in those years had Bob Willis, Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that succeeded in those seasons featured Brian Statham and Tyson

Current Situation

In this instance - potentially the most exciting Ashes series in modern times - the English team are aiming to change an awful record - they have failed to win a Test in Australia since over a decade ago

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

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

"There have been a lot of players who have said they have had difficult experiences down under

"In our case, we are a extremely composed, very positive squad

"No bad memories

"It's exhilarating

"The entire team views it as a huge opportunity to achieve something remarkable"

Opposition News

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

Australia are expected to give a debut to batsman Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut pace bowler Brendan Doggett also joining due to injuries to skipper Cummins and teammate Hazlewood