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The tourists have maintained flexibility for the initial Ashes match by including spin bowler Bashir in a twelve-player team together with five seamers

Wood has been passed fit and appears likely to feature facing the hosts in Perth on the weekend, with the last selection likely involving spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

If England opt for an pace-only bowling lineup - four main pacers plus multi-skilled player Stokes - it would arguably be the quickest collection of bowlers they have fielded in an Ashes Test in Australia

Earlier this week local groundsman the curator commented to anticipate "pace and bounce" from the surface at Perth Stadium, and it appears probable the English will stick to a established strategy of an pace-only strategy

But the visitors have also observed a dryness to the pitch, placing Bashir into the running

Spin Considerations

During the brief existence of the ground - five previous Tests have been hosted here - Australian off-spinner the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

The team have favored Bashir, 22, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in recent months he became the least experienced English bowler to attain half-century of wickets in Tests

But he has been absent from a competitive game since taking the last dismissal in a exciting triumph over India in the final Test at the famous ground in recently

Recent Challenges

He has been recovering from a hand problem and struggled in the sole practice game against the Lions, posting overall statistics of 2-151 from 24 overs

It also raises the prospect of Bashir participating in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a domestic team

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

Expected Selection

Still, an English side featuring Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, captain Stokes and Brydon Carse - all of whom are likely to hit 90 miles per hour - continues to be the expected conclusion

The opening match starts at 2:20 AM GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, expert analysis and live action clips provided

England Squad

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

Team Background

While a several England Ashes triumphs at home and abroad have been built on pace, they have not previously selected as multiple quick bowlers in the same team

The side that won at in England in the celebrated contest of that year contained Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

The captain's winning English side to Australia in those years had Bob Willis, Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that succeeded in 1954-55 included Brian Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - among the most highly anticipated Ashes series in modern times - the English team are hoping to change an difficult past - they have failed to win a Test in Australia since over a decade ago

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have participated in a Test match in the host nation, but the bowler comments that could help the visitors

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

"There have been a lot of players who have mentioned they have had challenging periods here in Australia

"Regarding our team, we are a very relaxed, very positive squad

"No bad memories

"It's very exciting

"Everyone considers it a great possibility to achieve something remarkable"

Host Team Situation

Australia's net session on Wednesday was briefly delayed by the threat of lightning

The home side are expected to give a debut to opener Jack Weatherald, with new pace bowler Brendan Doggett also being included due to fitness concerns to captain Pat Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood