The English team Include the off-spinner in Squad for Ashes Opener

The English side has kept their options open for the series opener by selecting slow bowler Bashir in a squad of twelve alongside five fast bowlers

The fast bowler has been passed fit and seems set to play against Australia in Western Australia on Friday, with the last selection probably coming down to the young spinner and seamer Carse

Ground Situation

If the visitors select an all-pace attack - four main pacers plus multi-skilled player Ben Stokes - it would potentially be the fastest group of bowlers they have used in an Ashes match in Australia

On Wednesday WA groundsman McDonald said to expect "pace and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it appears probable the tourists will adhere to a traditional approach of an fast bowling focus

However the tourists have also noted a lack of moisture to the wicket, bringing the spinner into consideration

Spinning Options

In the short history of this venue - five earlier Tests have been staged here - Australia off-spinner the experienced spinner is the most successful bowler with 29 dismissals

The team have backed the young spinner, 22 years old, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in spring he became the most youthful English bowler to achieve half-century of wickets in Test matches

Yet he has been absent from a first-class game after claiming the concluding scalp in a exciting triumph over the Indian team in the third match at the famous ground in recently

Current Concerns

He has been suffering from a hand problem and had challenges in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, posting overall statistics of 2 for 151 from his bowling spell

This presents the scenario of the spinner participating in an Test against Australia without being attached to a county

His deal at his county concluded at the end of the home summer

Probable Team

Still, an visiting team containing Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Brydon Carse - all of whom are likely to hit high speeds - stays the expected conclusion

The initial game commences at 2:20 AM GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, expert analysis and in-play highlights available

Playing Group

Selected players for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Brook, Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (gloveman), Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Team Background

Although a various England Ashes triumphs at in England and overseas have been constructed around fast bowling, they have never fielded as many express pace bowlers in the same team

The team that triumphed at domestically in the memorable competition of that year included Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's winning English side to Australia in that era had Bob Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the English side that triumphed in 1954-55 contained Statham and Tyson

Current Situation

On this occasion - among the most highly anticipated Ashes series in recent years - the visitors are looking to reverse an poor history - they have been unable to secure a Test in Australia since over a decade ago

Just five players of the 16-man squad have participated in a international Test in the host nation, but the bowler comments that could benefit the English team

"This might be an positive," he explained to reporters

"We've seen a numerous athletes who have said they have had some tough times down under

"For us, we are a extremely composed, very positive team

"No bad memories

"It's thrilling

"The entire team views it as a great possibility to achieve something remarkable"

Australian Preparations

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

The home side are likely to provide an opportunity to batsman Weatherald, with yet to debut seamer Brendan Doggett also being included after fitness concerns to captain Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood