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England have maintained flexibility for the first Ashes Test by including slow bowler Shoaib Bashir in a squad of twelve together with five seamers

Wood has been passed fit and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Western Australia on Friday, with the ultimate choice probably involving off-spinner Bashir and seamer the seamer

Ground Situation

If the visitors select an fast bowling unit - four main pacers combined with multi-skilled player the captain - it would potentially be the quickest collection of pacemen they have used in an Ashes Test in Australia

Earlier this week Western Australia pitch curator the curator commented to look for "speed and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it looks possible the tourists will adhere to a long-standing plan of an exclusively pace attack

However the English team have also spotted a lack of moisture to the surface, placing the off-spinner into consideration

Spin Considerations

During the brief existence of this venue - five earlier Tests have been hosted here - Australian off-spinner the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

England have backed Shoaib, twenty-two, as their main slow bowler for over twelve months and in May he became the least experienced English bowler to attain 50 wickets in Test matches

But he has missed a competitive game after taking the last dismissal in a dramatic victory over India in the final Test at Lord's in summer

Recent Issues

He has been recovering from a hand problem and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, returning combined figures of two wickets for 151 runs from his bowling spell

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

His deal at the domestic team ended at the conclusion of the domestic season

Expected Selection

Still, an visiting team featuring Wood, Archer, Gus Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes and Carse - every one of them are likely to hit 90 miles per hour - stays the probable result

The initial game starts at early morning GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, expert analysis and in-play highlights provided

Playing Group

Selected players for series opener: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (skipper), Jamie Smith (wk), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

While a several England Ashes triumphs at home and abroad have been founded on quick bowling, they have never fielded as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

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

Illingworth's successful touring team to the host nation in those years had Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the England team that succeeded in those seasons contained Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Modern Context

This time around - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in recent years - England are looking to change an difficult past - they have been unable to secure a Test in the host country since over a decade ago

Just five players of the sixteen-player group have participated in a international Test in the host nation, but the bowler states that could help the visitors

"This could represent an advantage," he explained to media outlets

"There are a numerous athletes who have said they have had challenging periods down under

"Regarding our team, we are a extremely composed, very positive squad

"No bad memories

"It's thrilling

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

Australian Preparations

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

Australia are likely to hand a first cap to opener Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut seamer Doggett also joining due to injuries to skipper Pat Cummins and colleague Hazlewood