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England have left decisions open for the initial Ashes match by naming spin bowler Bashir in a twelve-player team combined with five fast bowlers

The fast bowler is declared fit and seems set to play against Australia in Perth Stadium on Friday, with the last selection probably involving the young spinner and seamer Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an all-pace attack - four main pacers plus all-rounder Ben Stokes - it would possibly be the quickest collection of seamers they have deployed in an Test against Australia in this country

On Wednesday Western Australia wicket preparer Isaac McDonald commented to expect "fast and bouncy conditions" from the wicket at Perth Stadium, and it appears probable the tourists will follow a long-standing plan of an fast bowling focus

Yet the visitors have also observed a arid quality to the pitch, putting Bashir into the running

Slow Bowling Factors

Throughout the limited timeframe of Perth Stadium - five previous Tests have been staged here - Australia off-spinner the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

The English management have supported the young spinner, 22 years old, as their main slow bowler for over twelve months and in recent months he was recognized as the youngest England bowler to reach half-century of wickets in Test matches

Yet he has been absent from a first-class game since securing the last dismissal in a exciting triumph over the Indian team in the third Test at the famous ground in summer

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been recovering from a broken finger and struggled in the single preparation match against the development squad, recording match figures of 2-151 from his bowling spell

It also raises the prospect of him playing in an Test against Australia without being attached to a domestic team

His contract at the domestic team ended at the conclusion of the domestic season

Expected Selection

Still, an England team containing Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Carse - each of whom are capable of reaching 90mph - remains the probable result

The first Test starts at early morning GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and real-time features provided

Team Selection

Selected players for series opener: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

Although a number of successful Ashes campaigns at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously used as multiple quick bowlers in the same team

The lineup that triumphed at in England in the memorable competition of 2005 included Steve Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's winning English side to Australia in 1970-71 had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the England team that succeeded in that period included Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in recent memory - the English team are looking to reverse an difficult past - they have been unable to secure a Test in the host country since over a decade ago

Only five members of the sixteen-player group have experienced a international Test in the host nation, but Atkinson states that could benefit the English team

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

"We've seen a numerous athletes who have stated they have had difficult experiences in this country

"In our case, we are a very relaxed, very positive squad

"No scarring

"It's very exciting

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

Opposition News

The Australian training on this week was briefly delayed by the risk of storms

The home side are likely to give a debut to opener Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Doggett also coming in after fitness concerns to captain Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood