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The English side has left decisions open for the first Ashes Test by including off-spinner the young spinner in a twelve-player team combined with five pace bowlers

Mark Wood has been passed fit and seems set to play against Australia in Western Australia on the weekend, with the final decision likely involving spinner Bashir and pace bowler the seamer

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an all-pace attack - four main pacers along with multi-skilled player Stokes - it would arguably be the fastest group of bowlers they have fielded in an Test against Australia in the host nation

Earlier this week local groundsman the curator commented to look for "speed and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it looks possible England will adhere to a long-standing plan of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the visitors have also observed a lack of moisture to the wicket, bringing the spinner into consideration

Slow Bowling Factors

During the brief existence of Perth Stadium - five previous Tests have been played here - Australia spin bowler the experienced spinner is the most successful bowler with 29

England have backed the young spinner, 22, as their main slow bowler for over twelve months and in spring he achieved the youngest England bowler to reach half-century of wickets in Test matches

But he has not played a first-class game after securing the last dismissal in a exciting triumph over the Indian team in the third Test at Lord's in recently

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been out with a hand problem and had challenges in the single preparation match against the Lions, posting match figures of two wickets for 151 runs from twenty-four overs

This creates the scenario of Bashir participating in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a first-class side

His deal at his county expired at the conclusion of the domestic season

Likely Lineup

However, an England team featuring Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching 90 miles per hour - continues to be the most likely outcome

The initial game commences at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with instant commentary, expert analysis and real-time features available

England Squad

Selected players for series opener: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (leader), Smith (wicketkeeper), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Historical Context

While a several successful Ashes campaigns at in England and overseas have been built on pace, they have never fielded as numerous fast bowlers in the identical lineup

The side that won at in England in the memorable competition of 2005 Ashes featured Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in 1970-71 had Willis, Lever and Snow, and the English side that succeeded in that period contained Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Modern Context

On this occasion - among the most highly anticipated England-Australia contests in recent memory - the English team are aiming to overturn an difficult past - they have not won a five-day game in Australia since that year

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have played a international Test in the host nation, but Atkinson comments that could help the visitors

"This could represent an advantage," he mentioned to reporters

"There have been a numerous athletes who have said they have had some tough times in this country

"For us, we are a extremely composed, highly optimistic squad

"No scarring

"It's very exciting

"Everyone considers it a massive chance to do something special"

Opposition News

The host team's practice session on Wednesday was momentarily paused by the threat of lightning

The home side are probably going to hand a first cap to batsman Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut fast bowler Brendan Doggett also being included due to injuries to skipper Cummins and colleague Hazlewood