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The English side has maintained flexibility for the series opener by naming spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in a twelve-player team together with five seamers

The fast bowler has recovered and appears likely to feature facing the hosts in Perth on the weekend, with the ultimate choice possibly between the young spinner and seamer Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an pace-only bowling lineup - four main pacers along with all-rounder Stokes - it would potentially be the quickest collection of pacemen they have used in an Ashes Test in Australia

Recently local pitch curator the curator commented to anticipate "fast and bouncy conditions" from the pitch at Perth Stadium, and it looks possible England will adhere to a established strategy of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the tourists have also noted a arid quality to the surface, putting the off-spinner into consideration

Spin Considerations

In the short history of this venue - five prior matches have been staged here - Australian off-spinner the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

England have backed Shoaib, 22 years old, as their first-choice spinner for since last year and in May he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to attain 50 wickets in international Tests

But he has missed a competitive game following securing the final wicket in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the final Test at Lord's in summer

Recent Challenges

The spinner has been out with a broken finger and struggled in the sole practice game against the Lions, returning combined figures of 2 for 151 from his bowling spell

This presents the prospect of him participating in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a county

His deal at his county concluded at the conclusion of the domestic season

Expected Selection

Still, an English side featuring Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, captain Stokes and Brydon Carse - all of whom are able to achieve 90mph - stays the probable result

The first Test begins at 02:20 GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and live action clips accessible

England Squad

England squad for series opener: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Ben Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (gloveman), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Past Experience

While a various successful Ashes campaigns at in England and overseas have been founded on quick bowling, they have never fielded as many express pace bowlers in the equivalent side

The team that triumphed at home in the celebrated contest of that year included Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

The captain's successful touring team to Australia in 1970-71 had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the visiting team that won in that period featured Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

This time around - potentially the most exciting Ashes series in recent memory - the visitors are looking to overturn an poor history - they have failed to win a five-day game in the host country since 2011

Just five players of the extended squad have participated in a Test in the host nation, but Atkinson comments that could benefit the English team

"This might be an benefit," he told the press

"There have been a lot of players who have said they have had challenging periods here in Australia

"In our case, we are a very relaxed, highly optimistic group

"No scarring

"It's very exciting

"The entire team views it as a huge opportunity to achieve something remarkable"

Host Team Situation

The host team's net session on Wednesday was briefly delayed by the possibility of bad weather

The hosts are expected to hand a first cap to batsman Weatherald, with yet to debut fast bowler Brendan Doggett also coming in following fitness concerns to captain Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood