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The tourists have left decisions open for the initial Ashes match by including spin bowler Bashir in a twelve-player team together with five pace bowlers

Wood has been passed fit and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Western Australia on the weekend, with the ultimate choice possibly coming down to off-spinner Bashir and fast bowler Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an pace-only bowling lineup - four main pacers combined with multi-skilled player Stokes - it would arguably be the most rapid assembly of seamers they have deployed in an Test against Australia in Australia

On Wednesday local pitch curator the curator stated to anticipate "pace and bounce" from the wicket at the stadium, and it appears probable the English will adhere to a established strategy of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the English team have also observed a dryness to the pitch, putting Bashir into contention

Spin Considerations

In the short history of the ground - five earlier Tests have been staged here - Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the leading wicket-taker with 29

England have backed Shoaib, 22 years old, as their main slow bowler for more than a year and in May he became the youngest England bowler to reach half-century of wickets in international Tests

Yet he has missed a official match since claiming the last dismissal in a dramatic victory over India in the third Test at the famous ground in July

Recent Issues

He has been suffering from a broken finger and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against the Lions, recording match figures of two wickets for 151 runs from twenty-four overs

It also raises the scenario of the spinner playing in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a first-class side

The agreement at the domestic team expired at the conclusion of the domestic season

Likely Lineup

However, an English side including Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - each of whom are able to achieve 90mph - continues to be the probable result

The opening match begins at 02:20 GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, Test Match Special commentary and live action clips accessible

Playing Group

Selected players for initial Ashes match: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (gloveman), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

Even though a various English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been built on pace, they have not previously selected as many express pace bowlers in the equivalent side

The team that won at domestically in the memorable competition of that year included Steve Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in that era had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the England team that won in that period contained Brian Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

This time around - one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series in modern times - the visitors are looking to change an difficult past - they have failed to win a Test match in the host country since that year

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have experienced a international Test in Australia, but Atkinson comments that could help the visitors

"This could represent an positive," he told reporters

"There are a many cricketers who have stated they have had challenging periods in this country

"For us, we are a extremely composed, highly optimistic squad

"No bad memories

"It's thrilling

"The entire team views it as a huge opportunity to do something special"

Host Team Situation

The host team's net session on this week was momentarily paused by the threat of lightning

Australia are likely to provide an opportunity to opener Weatherald, with yet to debut seamer Doggett also coming in following fitness concerns to skipper Pat Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood