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The tourists have kept their options open for the series opener by selecting slow bowler Bashir in a twelve-player team combined with five fast bowlers

Wood is declared fit and appears likely to feature against Australia in Western Australia on Friday, with the final decision possibly involving the young spinner and pace bowler Brydon Carse

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers combined with all-rounder Stokes - it would arguably be the most rapid assembly of seamers they have used in an Ashes Test in this country

On Wednesday local pitch curator the curator commented to expect "pace and bounce" from the wicket at the stadium, and it seems likely the tourists will stick to a established strategy of an exclusively pace attack

But the tourists have also spotted a dryness to the surface, bringing Bashir into the running

Spinning Options

In the short history of Perth Stadium - five prior matches have been hosted here - Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

The team have favored Shoaib, twenty-two, as their main slow bowler for more than a year and in recent months he achieved the least experienced English bowler to attain fifty wickets in Test matches

But he has been absent from a first-class game after claiming the last dismissal in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the third match at Lord's in recently

Recent Issues

The spinner has been suffering from a broken finger and found it difficult in the single preparation match against the Lions, recording overall statistics of 2 for 151 from twenty-four overs

This presents the scenario of him participating in an Ashes match without being contracted with a first-class side

The agreement at Somerset concluded at the finish of the English season

Likely Lineup

However, an England team featuring Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, captain Stokes and Carse - every one of them are able to achieve 90mph - stays the most likely outcome

The opening match commences at early morning GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, expert analysis and in-play highlights provided

England Squad

Team lineup for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (skipper), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

Even though a several English Ashes victories at home and abroad have been founded on quick bowling, they have never fielded as multiple quick bowlers in the equivalent side

The lineup that succeeded at home in the memorable competition of 2005 contained Steve Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in 1970-71 had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that triumphed in those seasons featured Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series in recent years - the English team are looking to reverse an awful record - they have been unable to secure a Test in Australia since 2011

Only five members of the 16-man squad have participated in a international Test in Australia, but Atkinson comments that could help the visitors

"This could represent an positive," he told reporters

"There are a lot of players who have said they have had some tough times in this country

"In our case, we are a quite calm, extremely confident squad

"No negative experiences

"It's exhilarating

"Everyone considers it a huge opportunity to create history"

Australian Preparations

The host team's net session on this week was briefly delayed by the risk of storms

The hosts are probably going to provide an opportunity to batsman Weatherald, with new seamer Doggett also coming in after health issues to skipper Pat Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood