🔗 Share this article

The tourists have left decisions open for the series opener by naming spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in a squad of twelve alongside five seamers

Mark Wood has recovered and appears likely to feature versus the Aussies in Perth on the weekend, with the ultimate choice likely coming down to the young spinner and pace bowler the seamer

Pitch Conditions

If the visitors select an fast bowling unit - four specialists plus all-rounder the captain - it would arguably be the fastest group of bowlers they have deployed in an Ashes Test in the host nation

Recently Western Australia groundsman McDonald commented to anticipate "pace and bounce" from the wicket at the stadium, and it looks possible the tourists will adhere to a long-standing plan of an pace-only strategy

Yet the tourists have also noted a dryness to the wicket, putting the spinner into contention

Spinning Options

In the short history of this venue - five earlier Tests have been staged here - Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the leading wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

England have favored the young spinner, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for since last year and in May he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to achieve fifty wickets in international Tests

Yet he has been absent from a first-class game since securing the last dismissal in a thrilling win over India in the third match at Lord's in summer

Current Concerns

He has been suffering from a broken finger and had challenges in the single preparation match against the development squad, recording match figures of two wickets for 151 runs from twenty-four overs

This creates the possibility of the spinner participating in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a county

His contract at his county expired at the finish of the English season

Probable Team

Nevertheless, an England team including Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Carse - each of whom are capable of reaching 90mph - remains the most likely outcome

The opening match starts at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with instant commentary, specialist radio coverage and in-play highlights provided

Team Selection

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

Team Background

Even though a several English Ashes victories at home and abroad have been constructed around fast bowling, they have never fielded as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

The side that won at domestically in the famous series of that year contained Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

The captain's triumphant visitors to the host nation in 1970-71 had Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the visiting team that succeeded in those seasons included Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - among the most highly anticipated Test series in recent years - the visitors are aiming to change an awful record - they have not won a five-day game in the host country since over a decade ago

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have played a Test match in Australia, but Atkinson states that could work in England's favour

"It could be an positive," he explained to media outlets

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

"In our case, we are a extremely composed, highly optimistic team

"No negative experiences

"It's very exciting

"The entire team views it as a huge opportunity to create history"

Opposition News

The host team's net session on recently was temporarily interrupted by the threat of lightning

Australia are probably going to hand a first cap to opener Weatherald, with new fast bowler Brendan Doggett also being included due to health issues to captain Cummins and teammate Hazlewood