🔗 Share this article

The tourists have maintained flexibility for the initial Ashes match by including spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad alongside five seamers

Mark Wood is declared fit and appears likely to feature against Australia in Perth Stadium on the coming Friday, with the ultimate choice probably between spinner Bashir and pace bowler the seamer

Wicket Factors

If the visitors select an fast bowling unit - four specialists combined with all-rounder Ben Stokes - it would potentially be the quickest collection of bowlers they have fielded in an Ashes match in the host nation

On Wednesday Western Australia wicket preparer Isaac McDonald commented to look for "pace and bounce" from the wicket at the stadium, and it looks possible the English will follow a long-standing plan of an fast bowling focus

However the English team have also spotted a lack of moisture to the pitch, bringing the off-spinner into contention

Slow Bowling Factors

Throughout the limited timeframe of this venue - five previous Tests have been hosted here - Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29

The English management have backed Bashir, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for since last year and in spring he achieved the most youthful English bowler to achieve half-century of wickets in Test matches

However he has been absent from a competitive game after taking the last dismissal in a dramatic victory over India in the final Test at Lord's in July

Current Concerns

Bashir has been out with a finger injury and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against the development squad, recording combined figures of two wickets for 151 runs from his bowling spell

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

The agreement at the domestic team ended at the end of the home summer

Probable Team

Still, an visiting team containing Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, leader Stokes and Brydon Carse - all of whom are likely to hit 90 miles per hour - stays the probable result

The opening match commences at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and real-time features available

Playing Group

Selected players for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (skipper), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

While a number of successful Ashes campaigns at domestically and internationally have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously selected as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

The team that triumphed at in England in the memorable competition of 2005 featured Steve Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in that era had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the visiting team that won in those seasons contained Brian Statham and Tyson

Modern Context

On this occasion - among the most highly anticipated Ashes series in modern times - England are hoping to overturn an poor history - they have been unable to secure a Test match in Australia since over a decade ago

Just five players of the sixteen-player group have experienced a Test match in Australia, but the bowler says that could help the visitors

"This might be an advantage," he told the press

"There have been a many cricketers who have said they have had difficult experiences in this country

"In our case, we are a quite calm, very positive squad

"No bad memories

"It's exhilarating

"The entire team views it as a great possibility to do something special"

Opposition News

The host team's training on Wednesday was momentarily paused by the risk of storms

The hosts are expected to provide an opportunity to opener Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Doggett also joining following injuries to captain Pat Cummins and colleague Hazlewood