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The tourists have left decisions open for the series opener by selecting spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad together with five pace bowlers

Mark Wood is declared fit and appears likely to feature against Australia in Western Australia on Friday, with the final decision likely coming down to the young spinner and pace bowler the seamer

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an all-pace attack - four specialists along with all-rounder the captain - it would possibly be the fastest group of bowlers they have used in an Test against Australia in this country

On Wednesday local pitch curator Isaac McDonald stated to expect "fast and bouncy conditions" from the wicket at the stadium, and it seems likely the tourists will stick to a long-standing plan of an exclusively pace attack

But the visitors have also observed a lack of moisture to the surface, bringing the off-spinner into consideration

Slow Bowling Factors

During the brief existence of this venue - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australia off-spinner the experienced spinner is the most successful bowler with 29 dismissals

The team have supported Bashir, 22, as their primary spin option for over twelve months and in spring he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to attain fifty wickets in international Tests

Yet he has not played a first-class game after claiming the concluding scalp in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the third match at the famous ground in July

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been suffering from a hand problem and had challenges in England's only warm-up match against the development squad, returning combined figures of 2 for 151 from 24 overs

This creates the prospect of the spinner competing in an Ashes Test without being contracted with a county

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

Probable Team

However, an English side featuring Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, captain Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching high speeds - remains the probable result

The first Test starts at early morning GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, expert analysis and live action clips available

Playing Group

Team lineup for initial Ashes match: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (gloveman), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

Although a various successful Ashes campaigns at in England and overseas have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously selected as multiple quick bowlers in the equivalent side

The team that triumphed at home in the celebrated contest of 2005 featured Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in that era had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the England team that succeeded in that period included Statham and Tyson

Current Situation

This time around - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in recent years - England are aiming to reverse an awful record - they have been unable to secure a Test match in Australia since 2011

Only five members of the sixteen-player group have played a Test match in Australia, but the bowler comments that could work in England's favour

"This could represent an positive," he told media outlets

"There are a many cricketers who have stated they have had difficult experiences down under

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

"No scarring

"It's exhilarating

"We all see it as a huge opportunity to create history"

Australian Preparations

Australia's training on this week was briefly delayed by the risk of storms

The hosts are likely to give a debut to opener Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut seamer Doggett also being included due to fitness concerns to skipper Pat Cummins and colleague Josh Hazlewood