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

Wood has been passed fit and appears likely to feature against Australia in Perth on Friday, with the last selection likely involving off-spinner Bashir and fast bowler the seamer

Wicket Factors

If the visitors select an all-pace attack - four specialists combined with multi-skilled player the captain - it would potentially be the most rapid assembly of pacemen they have fielded in an Test against Australia in this country

Earlier this week WA groundsman the curator said to expect "pace and bounce" from the surface at Perth Stadium, and it seems likely the tourists will follow a long-standing plan of an pace-only strategy

But the visitors have also noted a dryness to the surface, bringing the off-spinner into the running

Spinning Options

During the brief existence of Perth Stadium - five prior matches have been staged here - Australia off-spinner Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29

England have favored Shoaib, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for since last year and in spring he became the youngest England bowler to achieve 50 wickets in Test matches

Yet he has been absent from a official match following taking the last dismissal in a exciting triumph over India in the third match at the famous ground in July

Current Concerns

He has been out with a broken finger and found it difficult in the sole practice game against England Lions, posting match figures of two wickets for 151 runs from his bowling spell

This creates the possibility of the spinner playing in an Ashes match without being attached to a domestic team

The agreement at his county expired at the conclusion of the domestic season

Expected Selection

However, an English side featuring Mark Wood, Archer, Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - all of whom are capable of reaching 90mph - remains the probable result

The initial game commences at early morning GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, Test Match Special commentary and real-time features provided

Playing Group

England squad for series opener: Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (leader), Smith (gloveman), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

Even though a various English Ashes victories at home and abroad have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously used as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

The team that succeeded at domestically in the celebrated contest of 2005 contained Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in 1970-71 had Willis, Lever and Snow, and the England team that triumphed in 1954-55 included Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Current Situation

This time around - among the most highly anticipated England-Australia contests in recent years - the English team are aiming to overturn an poor history - they have been unable to secure a Test in Australia since 2011

Only five members of the extended squad have played a Test in the host nation, but the bowler states that could benefit the English team

"This could represent an positive," he mentioned to the press

"We've seen a lot of players who have said they have had difficult experiences down under

"For us, we are a quite calm, very positive team

"No negative experiences

"It's exhilarating

"Everyone considers it a great possibility to do something special"

Host Team Situation

The Australian net session on recently was briefly delayed by the risk of storms

The home side are likely to hand a first cap to batsman Jack Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Doggett also being included due to injuries to captain Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood