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The English side has kept their options open for the first Ashes Test by selecting spin bowler Bashir in a twelve-player team alongside five pace bowlers

Mark Wood is declared fit and seems set to play against Australia in Perth on Friday, with the final decision likely involving spinner Bashir and fast bowler the seamer

Pitch Conditions

If the visitors select an all-pace attack - four specialists along with multi-skilled player Stokes - it would possibly be the fastest group of bowlers they have deployed in an Ashes Test in the host nation

On Wednesday local pitch curator Isaac McDonald said to expect "speed and bounce" from the surface at the venue, and it appears probable England will stick to a long-standing plan of an exclusively pace attack

But the tourists have also spotted a dryness to the pitch, bringing the off-spinner into contention

Slow Bowling Factors

Throughout the limited timeframe of the ground - five previous Tests have been played here - Australia spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29

England have backed Shoaib, 22, as their first-choice spinner for over twelve months and in spring he became the most youthful English bowler to attain fifty wickets in Tests

But he has not played a official match after securing the last dismissal in a exciting triumph over the Indian team in the final Test at the famous ground in recently

Current Concerns

He has been out with a broken finger and found it difficult in the single preparation match against England Lions, returning overall statistics of 2 for 151 from his bowling spell

This creates the possibility of him playing in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a county

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

Probable Team

However, an visiting team containing Wood, Archer, Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Carse - all of whom are capable of reaching 90mph - stays the expected conclusion

The opening match starts at 2:20 AM GMT on Friday, with live text coverage, specialist radio coverage and in-play highlights provided

Playing Group

England squad for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (gloveman), Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

While a various England Ashes triumphs 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 side that succeeded at in England in the memorable competition of 2005 contained Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to the host nation in those years had Bob Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the visiting team that succeeded in 1954-55 contained Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - potentially the most exciting Ashes series in recent years - England are aiming to change an awful record - they have been unable to secure a Test in Australia since over a decade ago

Only five members of the extended squad have played a Test in the host nation, but the bowler says that could help the visitors

"This might be an advantage," he mentioned to reporters

"There are a numerous athletes who have mentioned they have had difficult experiences down under

"For us, we are a very relaxed, highly optimistic team

"No bad memories

"It's thrilling

"Everyone considers it a huge opportunity to do something special"

Host Team Situation

The Australian practice session on this week was momentarily paused by the threat of lightning

Australia are likely to give a debut to batsman Weatherald, with uncapped fast bowler Brendan Doggett also being included due to injuries to skipper Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood