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The English side has maintained flexibility for the initial Ashes match by including spin bowler the young spinner in a twelve-player team combined with five pace bowlers

The fast bowler has been passed fit and is expected to participate versus the Aussies in Perth on the weekend, with the ultimate choice likely coming down to off-spinner Bashir and fast bowler the seamer

Pitch Conditions

If the visitors select an pace-only bowling lineup - four dedicated bowlers combined with all-rounder the captain - it would potentially be the fastest group of bowlers they have deployed in an Test against Australia in the host nation

Earlier this week WA wicket preparer Isaac McDonald commented to expect "speed and bounce" from the surface at Perth Stadium, and it looks possible England will follow a traditional approach of an pace-only strategy

Yet the tourists have also noted a dryness to the wicket, placing the spinner into the running

Slow Bowling Factors

In the short history of the ground - five earlier Tests have been staged here - Australian spin bowler Lyon is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

The English management have favored Shoaib, twenty-two, as their main slow bowler for since last year and in recent months he achieved the least experienced English bowler to reach fifty wickets in Tests

But he has missed a first-class game after securing the concluding scalp in a exciting triumph over the Indian team in the final Test at the famous ground in summer

Recent Challenges

He has been recovering from a finger injury and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, recording overall statistics of 2 for 151 from twenty-four overs

This presents the possibility of him participating in an Ashes match without being attached to a county

His contract at Somerset concluded at the finish of the English season

Likely Lineup

However, an visiting team including Wood, Archer, Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Carse - all of whom are able to achieve 90 miles per hour - stays the probable result

The first Test starts at early morning GMT on the weekend, with instant commentary, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights available

Team Selection

England squad for series opener: Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (leader), Smith (wicketkeeper), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Past Experience

Although a various English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been founded on quick bowling, they have never fielded as multiple quick bowlers in the equivalent side

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

Raymond Illingworth's triumphant visitors to the host nation in those years had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the English side that succeeded in 1954-55 contained Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Modern Context

This time around - one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series in recent years - the visitors are aiming to change an poor history - they have failed to win a five-day game in Australia since that year

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have played a Test in the host nation, but Atkinson comments that could benefit the English team

"This could represent an advantage," he explained to reporters

"There have been a many cricketers who have said they have had challenging periods here in Australia

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

"No scarring

"It's thrilling

"The entire team views it as a massive chance to do something special"

Host Team Situation

Australia's net session on Wednesday was temporarily interrupted by the risk of storms

The home side are probably going to give a debut to opener Jack Weatherald, with uncapped fast bowler Doggett also joining after injuries to skipper Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood