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The tourists have left decisions open for the first Ashes Test by selecting off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad combined with five pace bowlers

Wood has been passed fit and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Perth on Friday, with the last selection possibly coming down to spinner Bashir and pace bowler Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

If England opt for an pace-only bowling lineup - four specialists along with all-rounder Stokes - it would potentially be the most rapid assembly of pacemen they have fielded in an Ashes match in Australia

Recently local groundsman the curator commented to anticipate "fast and bouncy conditions" from the surface at Perth Stadium, and it looks possible England will adhere to a established strategy of an exclusively pace attack

However the tourists have also noted a dryness to the surface, bringing the spinner into consideration

Spin Considerations

During the brief existence of Perth Stadium - five prior matches have been hosted here - Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler with twenty-nine

The team have favored Bashir, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for more than a year and in spring he became the least experienced English bowler to achieve fifty wickets in international Tests

However he has not played a first-class game after taking the last dismissal in a thrilling win over India in the third match at Lord's in July

Recent Challenges

The spinner has been recovering from a hand problem and found it difficult in the single preparation match against England Lions, recording overall statistics of 2 for 151 from twenty-four overs

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

His deal at Somerset concluded at the conclusion of the domestic season

Probable Team

Nevertheless, an visiting team containing Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are able to achieve 90mph - continues to be the most likely outcome

The opening match begins at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights available

Playing Group

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

Team Background

While a number of England Ashes triumphs at in England and overseas have been founded on quick bowling, they have never fielded as multiple quick bowlers in the identical lineup

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

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to Australia in those years had Bob Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the English side that succeeded in 1954-55 featured Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - potentially the most exciting Test series in modern times - England are aiming to reverse an difficult past - they have been unable to secure a five-day game in Australia since over a decade ago

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have played a international Test in the host nation, but Atkinson says that could help the visitors

"This might be an benefit," he told reporters

"We've seen a many cricketers who have said they have had challenging periods here in Australia

"For us, we are a extremely composed, very positive squad

"No negative experiences

"It's exhilarating

"The entire team views it as a great possibility to create history"

Opposition News

The host team's training on this week was briefly delayed by the threat of lightning

The home side are expected to provide an opportunity to batsman Weatherald, with new fast bowler Doggett also joining due to fitness concerns to captain Pat Cummins and teammate Hazlewood