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The English side has left decisions open for the first Ashes Test by selecting off-spinner the young spinner in a twelve-player team together with five seamers

Mark Wood has recovered and appears likely to feature facing the hosts in Western Australia on Friday, with the ultimate choice possibly between the young spinner and seamer the seamer

Pitch Conditions

If the visitors select an all-pace attack - four specialists combined with multi-skilled player Ben Stokes - it would potentially be the fastest group of seamers they have used in an Ashes match in this country

On Wednesday Western Australia pitch curator the curator stated to look for "pace and bounce" from the wicket at the venue, and it seems likely England will adhere to a traditional approach of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the visitors have also observed a arid quality to the pitch, putting the spinner into contention

Slow Bowling Factors

In the short history of Perth Stadium - five prior matches have been staged here - Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

The team have supported Bashir, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for more than a year and in recent months he became the most youthful English bowler to reach fifty wickets in Tests

But he has been absent from a official match since securing the concluding scalp in a thrilling win over India in the third Test at the famous ground in July

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been suffering from a broken finger and struggled in England's only warm-up match against the development squad, recording combined figures of 2 for 151 from his bowling spell

This presents the possibility of Bashir playing in an Ashes Test without being contracted with a domestic team

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

Expected Selection

Still, an visiting team including Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Carse - each of whom are able to achieve 90mph - remains the most likely outcome

The initial game commences at early morning GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, expert analysis and in-play highlights available

Playing Group

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

Historical Context

Although a various successful Ashes campaigns at home and abroad have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously used as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

The lineup that won at home in the celebrated contest of 2005 Ashes included Steve Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

The captain's winning English side to the host nation in those years had Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the England team that triumphed in 1954-55 included Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series in recent memory - the visitors are aiming to reverse an awful record - they have been unable to secure a Test in Australia since 2011

Only five members of the sixteen-player group have participated in a international Test in the host nation, but Atkinson says that could benefit the English team

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

"There have been a numerous athletes who have stated they have had difficult experiences here in Australia

"Regarding our team, we are a very relaxed, very positive group

"No bad memories

"It's exhilarating

"Everyone considers it a huge opportunity to do something special"

Opposition News

The host team's practice session on Wednesday was briefly delayed by the possibility of bad weather

Australia are probably going to provide an opportunity to opener Jack Weatherald, with uncapped fast bowler Brendan Doggett also being included due to injuries to skipper Pat Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood