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The tourists have left decisions open for the series opener by selecting off-spinner Bashir in a twelve-player team together with five fast bowlers

Wood has been passed fit and appears likely to feature versus the Aussies in Perth Stadium on the weekend, with the last selection likely coming down to off-spinner Bashir and fast bowler the seamer

Ground Situation

If England opt for an fast bowling unit - four main pacers plus multi-skilled player the captain - it would potentially be the fastest group of bowlers they have fielded in an Ashes match in this country

On Wednesday local groundsman the curator stated to look for "pace and bounce" from the wicket at the stadium, and it looks possible England will adhere to a established strategy of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the visitors have also spotted a arid quality to the surface, bringing Bashir into the running

Spin Considerations

During the brief existence of this venue - five previous Tests have been staged here - Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the top wicket-taker with twenty-nine

The English management have favored the young spinner, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for more than a year and in spring he achieved the most youthful English bowler to reach half-century of wickets in Test matches

Yet he has been absent from a first-class game since claiming the last dismissal in a thrilling win over the Indian team in the final Test at the famous ground in July

Current Concerns

The spinner has been out with a hand problem and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against the development squad, recording overall statistics of 2 for 151 from 24 overs

This creates the scenario of him participating in an Ashes match without being affiliated with a first-class side

His contract at Somerset ended at the finish of the English season

Expected Selection

Nevertheless, an English side featuring Wood, Archer, Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are likely to hit 90mph - continues to be the probable result

The initial game commences at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights accessible

Playing Group

Team lineup for series opener: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Ben Stokes (skipper), Smith (wicketkeeper), Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

Although a various English Ashes victories at in England and overseas have been built on pace, they have never fielded as multiple quick bowlers in the same team

The lineup that triumphed at in England in the celebrated contest of that year included Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in 1970-71 had Bob Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the visiting team that triumphed in those seasons included Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in recent years - England are looking to overturn an poor history - they have not won a Test match in Australia since 2011

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have played a international Test in Australia, but the bowler states that could benefit the English team

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

"We've seen a lot of players who have stated they have had some tough times here in Australia

"Regarding our team, we are a quite calm, very positive group

"No bad memories

"It's exhilarating

"We all see it as a massive chance to create history"

Australian Preparations

Australia's practice session on Wednesday was momentarily paused by the possibility of bad weather

The hosts are probably going to hand a first cap to batsman Weatherald, with yet to debut pace bowler Brendan Doggett also coming in following fitness concerns to captain Pat Cummins and colleague Josh Hazlewood