🔗 Share this article

The English side has maintained flexibility for the series opener by including slow bowler Bashir in a 12-man squad together with five fast bowlers

The fast bowler is declared fit and seems set to play versus the Aussies in Perth Stadium on the weekend, with the ultimate choice possibly between the young spinner and fast bowler the seamer

Pitch Conditions

If the visitors select an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers combined with multi-skilled player Stokes - it would potentially be the fastest group of pacemen they have fielded in an Ashes Test in this country

Recently WA pitch curator McDonald stated to look for "pace and bounce" from the pitch at the stadium, and it looks possible the tourists will stick to a traditional approach of an pace-only strategy

However the visitors have also spotted a arid quality to the surface, putting the off-spinner into the running

Spin Considerations

During the brief existence of the ground - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australia off-spinner the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

The English management have backed the young spinner, 22 years old, as their main slow bowler for over twelve months and in spring he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to achieve half-century of wickets in Test matches

But he has not played a competitive game since claiming the final wicket in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the third Test at the famous ground in summer

Recent Issues

Bashir has been suffering from a finger injury and found it difficult in the sole practice game against the development squad, recording match figures of 2 for 151 from 24 overs

It also raises the scenario of the spinner competing in an Ashes match without being affiliated with a county

His deal at the domestic team ended at the finish of the English season

Likely Lineup

Nevertheless, an visiting team featuring Mark Wood, Archer, Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Carse - all of whom are likely to hit 90mph - remains the probable result

The initial game begins at 2:20 AM GMT on the weekend, with instant commentary, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights provided

Team Selection

Selected players for initial Ashes match: Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

Even though a number of English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously used as multiple quick bowlers in the identical lineup

The lineup that triumphed at domestically in the famous series of that year featured Steve Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's successful touring team to the host nation in that era had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that succeeded in 1954-55 included Statham and Tyson

Modern Context

This time around - one of the most eagerly anticipated England-Australia contests in recent years - the visitors are aiming to overturn an difficult past - they have failed to win a Test in the host country since that year

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have played a Test match in Australia, but Atkinson comments that could benefit the English team

"It could be an benefit," he mentioned to reporters

"We've seen a lot of players who have stated they have had some tough times down under

"Regarding our team, we are a quite calm, highly optimistic group

"No negative experiences

"It's very exciting

"We all see it as a huge opportunity to do something special"

Host Team Situation

The host team's net session on recently was temporarily interrupted by the possibility of bad weather

The hosts are likely to provide an opportunity to opener Jack Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Brendan Doggett also coming in following health issues to skipper Pat Cummins and colleague Josh Hazlewood