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The tourists have left decisions open for the first Ashes Test by including slow bowler the young spinner in a twelve-player team alongside five pace bowlers

Wood has recovered and is expected to participate against Australia in Perth Stadium on the coming Friday, with the ultimate choice likely involving the young spinner and fast bowler Brydon Carse

Ground Situation

If the visitors select an pace-only bowling lineup - four specialists combined with all-rounder Stokes - it would potentially be the quickest collection of seamers they have used in an Ashes Test in this country

Earlier this week WA pitch curator the curator said to anticipate "fast and bouncy conditions" from the pitch at the stadium, and it appears probable England will stick to a established strategy of an fast bowling focus

However the English team have also spotted a dryness to the surface, bringing Bashir into contention

Spin Considerations

During the brief existence of the ground - five previous Tests have been played here - Australia spin bowler Lyon is the leading wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

The English management have favored Shoaib, 22 years old, as their main slow bowler for over twelve months and in May he was recognized as the youngest England bowler to attain 50 wickets in international Tests

But he has not played a official match since securing the concluding scalp in a exciting triumph over India in the third match at Lord's in summer

Current Concerns

Bashir has been recovering from a finger injury and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against the Lions, posting match figures of 2-151 from 24 overs

It also raises the scenario of Bashir competing in an Ashes Test without being affiliated with a county

His contract at the domestic team expired at the end of the home summer

Expected Selection

However, an English side containing Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Brydon Carse - all of whom are likely to hit 90mph - remains the most likely outcome

The opening match starts at 02:20 GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and real-time features available

England Squad

Team lineup for initial Ashes match: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Ben Stokes (skipper), Smith (wk), Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

Although a various successful Ashes campaigns at home and abroad have been built on pace, they have not previously used as many express pace bowlers in the equivalent side

The side that triumphed at home in the famous series of that year featured Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's successful touring team to the host nation in those years had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the visiting team that triumphed in 1954-55 contained Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

This time around - among the most highly anticipated Test series in recent memory - England are aiming to reverse an difficult past - they have failed to win a Test in Australia since 2011

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have participated in a international Test in Australia, but the bowler comments that could work in England's favour

"It could be an positive," he explained to reporters

"We've seen a numerous athletes who have mentioned they have had challenging periods down under

"For us, we are a quite calm, extremely confident team

"No negative experiences

"It's thrilling

"We all see it as a great possibility to achieve something remarkable"

Australian Preparations

The Australian net session on this week was momentarily paused by the risk of storms

The hosts are likely to provide an opportunity to batsman Weatherald, with new pace bowler Brendan Doggett also joining due to health issues to skipper Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood