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England have kept their options open for the first Ashes Test by including slow bowler Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad alongside five seamers

The fast bowler has been passed fit and is expected to participate versus the Aussies in Perth Stadium on Friday, with the ultimate choice possibly involving the young spinner and pace bowler Carse

Pitch Conditions

If the visitors select an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers combined with multi-skilled player Ben Stokes - it would arguably be the most rapid assembly of seamers they have deployed in an Test against Australia in Australia

On Wednesday WA groundsman the curator commented to expect "speed and bounce" from the pitch at Perth Stadium, and it seems likely the tourists will stick to a traditional approach of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the English team have also noted a lack of moisture to the pitch, placing Bashir into contention

Spinning Options

Throughout the limited timeframe of the ground - five prior matches have been played here - Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the leading wicket-taker with 29

The English management have supported Bashir, 22 years old, as their first-choice spinner for over twelve months and in spring he achieved the youngest England bowler to reach fifty wickets in Tests

However he has not played a official match after claiming the final wicket in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the final Test at Lord's in summer

Recent Issues

Bashir has been suffering from a hand problem and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, returning overall statistics of 2 for 151 from his bowling spell

It also raises the prospect of Bashir playing in an Ashes match without being contracted with a first-class side

The agreement at his county expired at the finish of the English season

Probable Team

Still, an English side including Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, leader Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching 90mph - stays the probable result

The initial game starts at 2:20 AM GMT on Friday, with live text coverage, specialist radio coverage and live action clips available

Team Selection

Selected players for first Ashes Test: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Joe Root, Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (gloveman), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

While a various English Ashes victories at domestically and internationally have been built on pace, they have not previously selected as many express pace bowlers in the equivalent side

The side that won at domestically in the memorable competition of 2005 contained Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

The captain's winning English side to Australia in that era had Bob Willis, Lever and Snow, and the English side that succeeded in that period contained Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - one of the most eagerly anticipated England-Australia contests in recent memory - the visitors are hoping to overturn an poor history - they have not won a Test match in Australia since that year

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have played a Test in the host nation, but Atkinson states that could benefit the English team

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

"We've seen a many cricketers who have stated they have had difficult experiences in this country

"For us, we are a extremely composed, extremely confident team

"No bad memories

"It's thrilling

"We all see it as a huge opportunity to create history"

Host Team Situation

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

Australia are likely to give a debut to batsman Jack Weatherald, with new pace bowler Brendan Doggett also being included after health issues to captain Pat Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood