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The English side has maintained flexibility for the initial Ashes match by including off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad together with five seamers

The fast bowler has been passed fit and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Perth Stadium on the weekend, with the last selection possibly between spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

If England opt for an pace-only bowling lineup - four dedicated bowlers plus all-rounder Stokes - it would potentially be the most rapid assembly of bowlers they have deployed in an Test against Australia in the host nation

Recently Western Australia wicket preparer the curator commented to expect "fast and bouncy conditions" from the wicket at the stadium, and it appears probable the tourists will stick to a established strategy of an pace-only strategy

But the tourists have also noted a dryness to the surface, bringing Bashir into consideration

Spinning Options

In the short history of this venue - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australia off-spinner the experienced spinner is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

The English management have favored Bashir, 22, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in May he became the least experienced English bowler to achieve 50 wickets in international Tests

But he has not played a competitive game since taking the final wicket in a dramatic victory over India in the final Test at Lord's in July

Recent Issues

The spinner has been recovering from a broken finger and had challenges in the sole practice game against the development squad, recording match figures of 2 for 151 from twenty-four overs

This presents the scenario of Bashir participating in an Ashes match without being attached to a domestic team

His contract at the domestic team expired at the finish of the English season

Expected Selection

Still, an England team featuring Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Brydon Carse - each of whom are capable of reaching high speeds - remains the probable result

The first Test begins at early morning GMT on Friday, with instant commentary, expert analysis and in-play highlights provided

England Squad

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

Team Background

While a various England Ashes triumphs at in England and overseas have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously selected as numerous fast bowlers in the equivalent side

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

The captain's winning English side to the host nation in 1970-71 had Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the English side that succeeded in that period included Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Current Situation

This time around - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in recent years - the English team are looking to overturn an difficult past - they have failed to win a five-day game in Australia since over a decade ago

Just five players of the sixteen-player group have participated in a Test in the host nation, but the bowler states that could benefit the English team

"It could be an positive," he told reporters

"There have been a numerous athletes who have said they have had difficult experiences in this country

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

"No negative experiences

"It's thrilling

"We all see it as a great possibility to achieve something remarkable"

Host Team Situation

Australia's net session on this week was momentarily paused by the threat of lightning

The home side are probably going to give a debut to batsman Weatherald, with yet to debut seamer Brendan Doggett also being included due to injuries to captain Cummins and teammate Hazlewood