🔗 Share this article

England have kept their options open for the series opener by selecting slow bowler Shoaib Bashir in a squad of twelve combined with five seamers

Wood is declared fit and appears likely to feature versus the Aussies in Western Australia on the weekend, with the last selection probably involving the young spinner and seamer Brydon Carse

Wicket Factors

If England opt for an all-pace attack - four specialists plus multi-skilled player Stokes - it would possibly be the most rapid assembly of bowlers they have deployed in an Ashes match in this country

Recently WA pitch curator the curator said to anticipate "speed and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it appears probable the English will follow a traditional approach of an pace-only strategy

Yet the tourists have also noted a arid quality to the wicket, putting the off-spinner into contention

Spin Considerations

Throughout the limited timeframe of this venue - five earlier Tests have been hosted here - Australian off-spinner the experienced spinner is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

The team have backed Shoaib, 22, as their first-choice spinner for since last year and in recent months he achieved the least experienced English bowler to achieve 50 wickets in international Tests

However he has missed a first-class game since securing the last dismissal in a exciting triumph over India in the third match at Lord's in recently

Current Concerns

He has been out with a finger injury and had challenges in England's only warm-up match against the development squad, posting match figures of two wickets for 151 runs from his bowling spell

This presents the possibility of him participating in an Ashes Test without being contracted with a first-class side

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

Probable Team

Still, an English side containing Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - each of whom are capable of reaching 90 miles per hour - continues to be the expected conclusion

The initial game commences at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, specialist radio coverage and in-play highlights available

Team Selection

Team lineup for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (skipper), Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

While a number of English Ashes victories 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 team that succeeded at domestically in the memorable competition of 2005 Ashes included Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

The captain's winning English side to the host nation in those years had Bob Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the visiting team that triumphed in those seasons included Statham and Tyson

Current Situation

In this instance - potentially the most exciting Ashes series in modern times - England are aiming to change an poor history - they have failed to win a Test in Australia since that year

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

"It could be an positive," he told the press

"We've seen a many cricketers who have stated they have had some tough times in this country

"In our case, we are a extremely composed, very positive squad

"No scarring

"It's exhilarating

"The entire team views it as a great possibility to create history"

Opposition News

The Australian practice session on Wednesday was briefly delayed by the possibility of bad weather

The hosts are expected to hand a first cap to batsman Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut seamer Doggett also joining after injuries to skipper Pat Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood