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The tourists have kept their options open for the series opener by naming off-spinner the young spinner in a squad of twelve together with five seamers

The fast bowler is declared fit and is expected to participate against Australia in Perth Stadium on the weekend, with the final decision probably coming down to off-spinner Bashir and fast bowler Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an pace-only bowling lineup - four main pacers combined with multi-skilled player Ben Stokes - it would possibly be the quickest collection of pacemen they have used in an Ashes match in this country

Recently Western Australia groundsman the curator stated to expect "pace and bounce" from the pitch at Perth Stadium, and it appears probable England will stick to a traditional approach of an pace-only strategy

However the visitors have also spotted a dryness to the wicket, putting the off-spinner into contention

Spinning Options

Throughout the limited timeframe of the ground - five previous Tests have been played here - Australia spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29

The team have backed Shoaib, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for more than a year and in recent months he achieved the least experienced English bowler to attain half-century of wickets in Test matches

But he has missed a competitive game since securing the final wicket in a dramatic victory over India in the third match at the famous ground in recently

Recent Challenges

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 match figures of 2-151 from 24 overs

It also raises the scenario of him competing in an Ashes Test without being contracted with a domestic team

His contract at the domestic team ended at the finish of the English season

Probable Team

However, an England team including Mark Wood, Archer, Atkinson, leader Stokes and Carse - each of whom are capable of reaching 90 miles per hour - continues to be the most likely outcome

The initial game starts at early morning GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, Test Match Special commentary and live action clips provided

Team Selection

England squad for first Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (captain), Smith (wk), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

Although a number of England Ashes triumphs at in England and overseas have been built on pace, they have not previously used as many express pace bowlers in the identical lineup

The lineup that won at domestically in the famous series of 2005 Ashes included Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to the host nation in those years had Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that triumphed in that period contained Brian Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - potentially the most exciting Ashes series in modern times - England are aiming to reverse an difficult past - they have failed to win a Test match in Australia since that year

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have experienced a Test match in the host nation, but the bowler says that could help the visitors

"This might be an benefit," he explained to reporters

"We've seen a lot of players who have said they have had difficult experiences in this country

"Regarding our team, we are a quite calm, extremely confident group

"No bad memories

"It's thrilling

"Everyone considers it a great possibility to do something special"

Opposition News

Australia's training on recently was briefly delayed by the risk of storms

The hosts are likely to provide an opportunity to batsman Weatherald, with new seamer Doggett also joining after fitness concerns to skipper Cummins and colleague Josh Hazlewood