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The tourists have maintained flexibility for the first Ashes Test by including slow bowler the young spinner in a twelve-player team together with five fast bowlers

Mark Wood has been passed fit and is expected to participate against Australia in Perth Stadium on the coming Friday, with the final decision probably between spinner Bashir and seamer the seamer

Pitch Conditions

If England opt for an all-pace attack - four dedicated bowlers plus multi-skilled player the captain - it would potentially be the most rapid assembly of pacemen they have used in an Ashes match in this country

Recently Western Australia pitch curator Isaac McDonald said to expect "fast and bouncy conditions" from the wicket at Perth Stadium, and it appears probable the tourists will stick to a established strategy of an exclusively pace attack

But the English team have also spotted a arid quality to the surface, placing the off-spinner into the running

Spinning Options

Throughout the limited timeframe of Perth Stadium - five earlier Tests have been staged here - Australian off-spinner the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

The team have backed the young spinner, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for more than a year and in May he became the most youthful English bowler to attain half-century of wickets in international Tests

But he has been absent from a first-class game after taking the concluding scalp in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the third match at the famous ground in summer

Recent Issues

He has been suffering from a hand problem and struggled in the single preparation match against the Lions, returning match figures of 2 for 151 from 24 overs

This presents the possibility of the spinner participating in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a domestic team

His deal at the domestic team ended at the finish of the English season

Likely Lineup

However, an England team including Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are able to achieve 90mph - remains the expected conclusion

The initial game begins at 2:20 AM GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, expert analysis and live action clips provided

Team Selection

England squad for initial Ashes match: Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Brook, Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

Although a various English Ashes victories at home and abroad have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously used as multiple quick bowlers in the identical lineup

The team that won at home in the memorable competition of 2005 Ashes contained Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to the host nation in those years had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the England team that triumphed in 1954-55 contained Brian Statham and Tyson

Modern Context

On this occasion - potentially the most exciting Test series in modern times - England are looking to change an awful record - they have failed to win a Test match in the host country since over a decade ago

Just five players of the 16-man squad have participated in a international Test in the host nation, but the bowler states that could work in England's favour

"This could represent an positive," he mentioned to the press

"We've seen a many cricketers who have mentioned they have had challenging periods here in Australia

"Regarding our team, we are a extremely composed, extremely confident group

"No scarring

"It's very exciting

"We all see it as a huge opportunity to achieve something remarkable"

Opposition News

The host team's practice session on this week was briefly delayed by the possibility of bad weather

Australia are expected to provide an opportunity to batsman Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Doggett also being included following fitness concerns to captain Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood