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The English side has kept their options open for the series opener by including off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad together with five pace bowlers

The fast bowler is declared fit and is expected to participate against Australia in Perth on the weekend, with the ultimate choice likely between spinner Bashir and pace bowler Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an all-pace attack - four main pacers along with multi-skilled player the captain - it would arguably be the quickest collection of seamers they have fielded in an Ashes Test in the host nation

Earlier this week Western Australia groundsman Isaac McDonald said to anticipate "fast and bouncy conditions" from the wicket at the venue, and it looks possible the English will follow a established strategy of an fast bowling focus

But the tourists have also observed a lack of moisture to the pitch, bringing Bashir into consideration

Slow Bowling Factors

Throughout the limited timeframe of Perth Stadium - five prior matches have been hosted here - Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

England have backed the young spinner, 22, as their main slow bowler for since last year and in spring he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to achieve half-century of wickets in Test matches

Yet he has been absent from a official match since taking the final wicket in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the third Test at Lord's in July

Current Concerns

Bashir has been suffering from a broken finger and had challenges in the single preparation match against the development squad, returning match figures of 2 for 151 from 24 overs

This creates the possibility of him playing in an Ashes match without being affiliated with a domestic team

His contract at the domestic team expired at the conclusion of the domestic season

Probable Team

However, an English side featuring Wood, Archer, Gus Atkinson, leader Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching high speeds - stays the most likely outcome

The opening match starts at early morning GMT on Friday, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and live action clips accessible

Playing Group

Team lineup for initial Ashes match: Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (wk), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Archer, Bashir

Team Background

Even though a various England Ashes triumphs at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously used as many express pace bowlers in the same team

The team that triumphed at domestically in the memorable competition of 2005 contained Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

The captain's successful touring team to the host nation in those years had Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that won in 1954-55 included Brian Statham and Tyson

Current Situation

In this instance - one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series in recent memory - the visitors are hoping to overturn an awful record - they have not won a five-day game in Australia since 2011

Only five members of the 16-man squad have participated in a Test match in Australia, but Atkinson says that could help the visitors

"This might be an positive," he explained to media outlets

"There are a numerous athletes who have said they have had difficult experiences here in Australia

"In our case, we are a quite calm, highly optimistic group

"No negative experiences

"It's very exciting

"The entire team views it as a great possibility to do something special"

Host Team Situation

Australia's net session on Wednesday was temporarily interrupted by the threat of lightning

The home side are expected to give a debut to opener Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Brendan Doggett also joining following fitness concerns to skipper Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood