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The English side has kept their options open for the first Ashes Test by naming off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad combined with five pace bowlers

The fast bowler has recovered and appears likely to feature versus the Aussies in Perth Stadium on Friday, with the last selection likely involving spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers combined with multi-skilled player Ben Stokes - it would potentially be the most rapid assembly of bowlers they have deployed in an Ashes match in this country

On Wednesday Western Australia pitch curator McDonald commented to expect "speed and bounce" from the surface at Perth Stadium, and it appears probable the tourists will follow a long-standing plan of an pace-only strategy

Yet the English team have also noted a arid quality to the surface, putting the spinner into consideration

Spin Considerations

Throughout the limited timeframe of Perth Stadium - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australian spin bowler the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with twenty-nine

England have backed Shoaib, 22, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in spring he achieved the least experienced English bowler to attain fifty wickets in international Tests

However he has been absent from a competitive game after securing the last dismissal in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the third match at the famous ground in July

Current Concerns

Bashir has been out with a hand problem and had challenges in the sole practice game against the Lions, recording overall statistics of two wickets for 151 runs from 24 overs

It also raises the scenario of Bashir playing in an Ashes Test without being attached to a domestic team

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

Likely Lineup

Nevertheless, an visiting team featuring Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, captain Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are likely to hit high speeds - stays the expected conclusion

The initial game starts at early morning GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights available

Playing Group

Team lineup for first Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Historical Context

While a several English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been built on pace, they have never fielded as multiple quick bowlers in the identical lineup

The team that won at in England in the famous series of that year featured Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in 1970-71 had Bob Willis, Lever and Snow, and the England team that succeeded in 1954-55 included Brian Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series in recent memory - England are hoping to overturn an difficult past - they have failed to win a Test in Australia since over a decade ago

Only five members of the extended squad have experienced a international Test in the host nation, but Atkinson says that could help the visitors

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

"We've seen a lot of players who have stated they have had difficult experiences in this country

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

"No bad memories

"It's very exciting

"The entire team views it as a great possibility to achieve something remarkable"

Host Team Situation

Australia's training on recently was temporarily interrupted by the threat of lightning

The home side are expected to provide an opportunity to batsman Jack Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Brendan Doggett also joining following fitness concerns to captain Pat Cummins and teammate Hazlewood