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The English side has maintained flexibility for the first Ashes Test by including slow bowler Shoaib Bashir in a twelve-player team together with five seamers

The fast bowler has recovered and seems set to play versus the Aussies in Perth Stadium on the weekend, with the last selection probably coming down to off-spinner Bashir and seamer the seamer

Wicket Factors

If the visitors select an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers combined with all-rounder Ben Stokes - it would arguably be the fastest group of bowlers they have fielded in an Test against Australia in the host nation

Earlier this week local wicket preparer McDonald said to look for "fast and bouncy conditions" from the pitch at Perth Stadium, and it seems likely the English will follow a long-standing plan of an pace-only strategy

But the English team have also noted a dryness to the pitch, putting the off-spinner into consideration

Slow Bowling Factors

During the brief existence of the ground - five previous Tests have been played here - Australian off-spinner the experienced spinner is the most successful bowler with 29 dismissals

England have supported Bashir, twenty-two, as their first-choice spinner for over twelve months and in recent months he became the least experienced English bowler to reach fifty wickets in Test matches

But he has missed a official match since securing the final wicket in a exciting triumph over the Indian team in the third match at Lord's in summer

Recent Issues

He has been recovering from a finger injury and had challenges in England's only warm-up match against the development squad, returning match figures of 2-151 from 24 overs

This presents the possibility of the spinner competing in an Ashes match without being affiliated with a county

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

Likely Lineup

However, an England team containing Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Carse - every one of them are able to achieve high speeds - stays the most likely outcome

The initial game begins at 2:20 AM GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and live action clips available

England Squad

England squad for series opener: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (skipper), Smith (wk), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

Although a number of English Ashes victories at in England and overseas have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously used as numerous fast bowlers in the equivalent side

The team that triumphed at home in the celebrated contest of that year featured Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

The captain's successful touring team to the host nation in those years had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the English side that succeeded in those seasons featured Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - among the most highly anticipated England-Australia contests in recent memory - the visitors are aiming to reverse an awful record - they have not won a five-day game in the host country since 2011

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have participated in a Test match in the host nation, but Atkinson states that could benefit the English team

"This could represent an advantage," he told reporters

"There are a numerous athletes who have stated they have had difficult experiences in this country

"For us, we are a quite calm, highly optimistic group

"No scarring

"It's very exciting

"The entire team views it as a massive chance to create history"

Opposition News

The host team's practice session on recently was momentarily paused by the threat of lightning

Australia are expected to hand a first cap to opener Jack Weatherald, with new seamer Doggett also joining following fitness concerns to skipper Pat Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood