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The English side has kept their options open for the initial Ashes match by selecting off-spinner Bashir in a 12-man squad together with five pace bowlers

Wood has been passed fit and appears likely to feature versus the Aussies in Western Australia on the coming Friday, with the last selection possibly coming down to the young spinner and seamer Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers along with multi-skilled player Ben Stokes - it would arguably be the quickest collection of seamers they have fielded in an Ashes match in the host nation

Recently WA wicket preparer McDonald commented to anticipate "fast and bouncy conditions" from the pitch at the stadium, and it looks possible the tourists will adhere to a traditional approach of an exclusively pace attack

But the English team have also noted a arid quality to the wicket, bringing the off-spinner into contention

Spinning Options

During the brief existence of Perth Stadium - five previous Tests have been staged here - Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler with 29

The English management have supported Shoaib, twenty-two, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in spring he became the youngest England bowler to attain half-century of wickets in Test matches

Yet he has missed a competitive game after securing the last dismissal in a dramatic victory over India in the third match at Lord's in July

Current Concerns

He has been suffering from a finger injury and had challenges in the sole practice game against the development squad, posting match figures of two wickets for 151 runs from twenty-four overs

It also raises the scenario of him playing in an Ashes Test without being attached to a first-class side

His contract at Somerset expired at the end of the home summer

Likely Lineup

Nevertheless, an England team containing Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, captain Stokes and Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching 90 miles per hour - stays the expected conclusion

The first Test commences at 2:20 AM GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and real-time features accessible

England Squad

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

Past Experience

Even though a several English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have never fielded as numerous fast bowlers in the equivalent side

The team that succeeded at home in the celebrated contest of 2005 Ashes featured Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

The captain's successful touring team to Australia in 1970-71 had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the England team that triumphed in 1954-55 contained Brian Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Current Situation

This time around - among the most highly anticipated England-Australia contests in recent memory - the English team are looking to reverse an awful record - they have failed to win a five-day game in Australia since 2011

Merely five individuals of the extended squad have experienced a Test match in Australia, but Atkinson comments that could help the visitors

"This could represent an benefit," he mentioned to media outlets

"There have been a numerous athletes who have stated they have had challenging periods down under

"In our case, we are a very relaxed, highly optimistic group

"No bad memories

"It's very exciting

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

Opposition News

The Australian practice session on recently was temporarily interrupted by the threat of lightning

The hosts are probably going to hand a first cap to opener Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut pace bowler Doggett also being included after injuries to skipper Pat Cummins and teammate Hazlewood