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England have kept their options open for the first Ashes Test by selecting spin bowler Bashir in a squad of twelve alongside five pace bowlers

Mark Wood is declared fit and appears likely to feature against Australia in Western Australia on Friday, with the final decision possibly coming down to off-spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers combined with multi-skilled player the captain - it would potentially be the quickest collection of pacemen they have deployed in an Test against Australia in this country

Earlier this week Western Australia pitch curator Isaac McDonald commented to expect "fast and bouncy conditions" from the pitch at the venue, and it appears probable England will stick to a long-standing plan of an pace-only strategy

But the tourists have also noted a arid quality to the wicket, placing the spinner into contention

Spin Considerations

In the short history of Perth Stadium - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australia spin bowler Lyon is the leading wicket-taker with 29

The team have supported the young spinner, 22 years old, as their main slow bowler for more than a year and in recent months he achieved the most youthful English bowler to achieve 50 wickets in international Tests

Yet he has been absent from a competitive game after taking the final wicket in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the third match at the famous ground in July

Recent Issues

The spinner has been suffering from a broken finger and found it difficult in the sole practice game against the Lions, posting combined figures of two wickets for 151 runs from his bowling spell

It also raises the scenario of the spinner playing in an Test against Australia without being affiliated with a first-class side

His deal at Somerset expired at the finish of the English season

Expected Selection

Still, an English side featuring Mark Wood, Archer, Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - all of whom are able to achieve 90mph - continues to be the probable result

The first Test commences at 02:20 GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, specialist radio coverage and in-play highlights provided

Playing Group

Selected players for series opener: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Joe Root, Brook, Ben Stokes (leader), Smith (wk), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Historical Context

Even though a various England Ashes triumphs at home and abroad 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 celebrated contest of 2005 contained Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to Australia in those years had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that won in 1954-55 featured Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in recent memory - the English team are looking to overturn an awful record - they have not won a five-day game in the host country since that year

Only five members of the sixteen-player group have played a Test in the host nation, but the bowler comments that could benefit the English team

"This could represent an benefit," he told reporters

"There are a numerous athletes who have stated they have had challenging periods here in Australia

"In our case, we are a extremely composed, extremely confident squad

"No negative experiences

"It's thrilling

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

Host Team Situation

The Australian practice session on Wednesday was momentarily paused by the risk of storms

Australia are likely to hand a first cap to batsman Jack Weatherald, with new fast bowler Doggett also being included following injuries to captain Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood