The visitors Select Shoaib Bashir in Line-up for The Ashes series Initial Match

The English side has left decisions open for the first Ashes Test by naming off-spinner Bashir in a twelve-player team together with five pace bowlers

Wood has recovered and seems set to play facing the hosts in Perth Stadium on the coming Friday, with the ultimate choice possibly involving off-spinner Bashir and fast bowler Carse

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers combined with multi-skilled player the captain - it would potentially be the quickest collection of seamers they have used in an Test against Australia in the host nation

Recently WA pitch curator Isaac McDonald commented to anticipate "pace and bounce" from the pitch at Perth Stadium, and it seems likely the English will stick to a established strategy of an fast bowling focus

However the visitors have also noted a dryness to the wicket, putting the spinner into the running

Spin Considerations

Throughout the limited timeframe of this venue - five previous Tests have been played here - Australia spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

The English management have backed Bashir, twenty-two, as their main slow bowler for more than a year and in May he was recognized as the most youthful English bowler to reach fifty wickets in Test matches

However he has not played a official match since claiming the concluding scalp in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the third Test at Lord's in recently

Recent Challenges

He has been suffering from a hand problem and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against the development squad, returning combined figures of 2-151 from his bowling spell

This presents the possibility of him competing in an Ashes match without being attached to a domestic team

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

Probable Team

However, an English side containing Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Carse - each of whom are likely to hit 90mph - remains the most likely outcome

The first Test begins at 2:20 AM GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, Test Match Special commentary and live action clips accessible

Playing Group

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

Team Background

Even though a several successful Ashes campaigns at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously used as many express pace bowlers in the same team

The lineup that triumphed at domestically in the famous series of 2005 contained Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in 1970-71 had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the English side that won in that period featured Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Current Situation

This time around - among the most highly anticipated Ashes series in recent years - England are hoping to overturn an poor history - they have not won a Test match in Australia since that year

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

"This might be an positive," he told media outlets

"There are a lot of players who have mentioned they have had some tough times down under

"In our case, we are a extremely composed, extremely confident squad

"No scarring

"It's very exciting

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

Host Team Situation

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

The home side are probably going to provide an opportunity to opener Jack Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Doggett also being included due to injuries to captain Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood