🔗 Share this article

The tourists have maintained flexibility for the initial Ashes match by selecting slow bowler Bashir in a squad of twelve together with five seamers

Wood has recovered and appears likely to feature against Australia in Perth Stadium on the coming Friday, with the final decision possibly coming down to spinner Bashir and pace bowler Brydon Carse

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an pace-only bowling lineup - four specialists plus multi-skilled player Stokes - it would potentially be the most rapid assembly of seamers they have fielded in an Ashes Test in this country

On Wednesday WA wicket preparer the curator stated to look for "pace and bounce" from the surface at the venue, and it seems likely England will follow a traditional approach of an exclusively pace attack

However the tourists have also spotted a arid quality to the pitch, putting the off-spinner into consideration

Spinning Options

Throughout the limited timeframe of Perth Stadium - five earlier Tests have been staged here - Australia spin bowler Lyon is the most successful bowler with 29 dismissals

The English management have supported Bashir, twenty-two, as their main slow bowler for over twelve months and in May he became the most youthful English bowler to reach half-century of wickets in Test matches

But he has missed a official match after securing the concluding scalp in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the third match at Lord's in summer

Recent Issues

Bashir has been recovering from a finger injury and found it difficult in the sole practice game against the development squad, posting combined figures of 2-151 from twenty-four overs

It also raises the prospect of the spinner playing in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a domestic team

His deal at Somerset concluded at the finish of the English season

Expected Selection

Nevertheless, an England team containing Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, leader Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are likely to hit 90mph - remains the expected conclusion

The opening match begins at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and in-play highlights provided

Playing Group

Team lineup for initial Ashes match: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Joe Root, Brook, Stokes (leader), Smith (wicketkeeper), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

Although a various English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been built on pace, they have not previously used as multiple quick bowlers in the equivalent side

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

Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in that era had Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the England team that succeeded in those seasons featured Statham and Tyson

Current Situation

In this instance - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in modern times - the visitors are aiming to overturn an poor history - they have failed to win a Test in the host country since over a decade ago

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have participated in a international Test in the host nation, but the bowler says that could work in England's favour

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

"There are a numerous athletes who have said they have had difficult experiences down under

"For us, we are a very relaxed, extremely confident team

"No negative experiences

"It's exhilarating

"The entire team views it as a massive chance to do something special"

Australian Preparations

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

The hosts are expected to give a debut to batsman Weatherald, with yet to debut fast bowler Brendan Doggett also coming in after fitness concerns to captain Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood