The English team Name Bashir in Line-up for The Ashes series First Test

England have kept their options open for the series opener by naming slow bowler Bashir in a twelve-player team alongside five fast bowlers

Mark Wood has recovered and seems set to play against Australia in Perth Stadium on the weekend, with the ultimate choice likely involving off-spinner Bashir and pace bowler Brydon Carse

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an all-pace attack - four main pacers along with all-rounder the captain - it would possibly be the most rapid assembly of pacemen they have fielded in an Ashes match in Australia

On Wednesday local pitch curator McDonald said to expect "pace and bounce" from the wicket at the stadium, and it seems likely the English will follow a established strategy of an fast bowling focus

However the visitors have also observed a dryness to the pitch, bringing the off-spinner into contention

Slow Bowling Factors

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

The team have favored Bashir, 22 years old, as their primary spin option for over twelve months and in spring he achieved the most youthful English bowler to achieve half-century of wickets in international Tests

Yet he has missed a competitive game following securing the concluding scalp in a thrilling win over India in the third match at Lord's in July

Current Concerns

The spinner has been recovering from a finger injury and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, posting overall statistics of two wickets for 151 runs from twenty-four overs

This presents the scenario of the spinner competing in an Ashes match without being attached to a first-class side

The agreement at Somerset ended at the end of the home summer

Expected Selection

Still, an England team including Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching 90 miles per hour - remains the probable result

The first Test starts at early morning GMT on Friday, with instant commentary, Test Match Special commentary and real-time features provided

Playing Group

England squad for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (skipper), Smith (gloveman), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Past Experience

While a number of England Ashes triumphs at home and abroad have been built on pace, they have not previously selected as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

The team that won at domestically in the memorable competition of 2005 contained Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in 1970-71 had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the England team that won in those seasons included Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Modern Context

In this instance - potentially the most exciting Test series in recent years - the visitors are looking to overturn an poor history - they have failed to win a Test in Australia since over a decade ago

Only five members of the extended squad have experienced a Test match in Australia, but Atkinson comments that could help the visitors

"This might be an positive," he mentioned to media outlets

"There are a many cricketers who have mentioned they have had difficult experiences here in Australia

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

"No scarring

"It's very exciting

"The entire team views it as a massive chance to achieve something remarkable"

Host Team Situation

The host team's net session on this week was momentarily paused by the threat of lightning

The hosts are likely to hand a first cap to opener Weatherald, with new seamer Brendan Doggett also coming in due to injuries to captain Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood