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The English side has maintained flexibility for the initial Ashes match by naming off-spinner Bashir in a twelve-player team combined with five fast bowlers

The fast bowler is declared fit and seems set to play facing the hosts in Western Australia on the coming Friday, with the final decision likely between off-spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse

Ground Situation

Should England choose an all-pace attack - four dedicated bowlers combined with all-rounder the captain - it would arguably be the quickest collection of bowlers they have deployed in an Ashes Test in Australia

Earlier this week Western Australia groundsman McDonald stated to look for "pace and bounce" from the surface at the stadium, and it seems likely the tourists will adhere to a long-standing plan of an exclusively pace attack

However the tourists have also observed a arid quality to the wicket, bringing the spinner into consideration

Slow Bowling Factors

Throughout the limited timeframe of this venue - five prior matches have been hosted here - Australia off-spinner Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29

The team have supported the young spinner, 22 years old, as their primary spin option for more than a year and in recent months he achieved the most youthful English bowler to reach half-century of wickets in international Tests

But he has missed a competitive game since taking the concluding scalp in a dramatic victory over the Indian team in the third match at Lord's in July

Recent Issues

He has been suffering from a finger injury and found it difficult in the single preparation match against England Lions, recording overall statistics of 2 for 151 from twenty-four overs

This creates the scenario of him participating in an Ashes match without being affiliated with a domestic team

His deal at his county expired at the finish of the English season

Likely Lineup

Nevertheless, an English side including Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching 90mph - remains the expected conclusion

The initial game starts at early morning GMT on Friday, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights available

Playing Group

Team lineup for first Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (skipper), Smith (wk), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

Although a number of successful Ashes campaigns at home and abroad have been built on pace, they have not previously selected as numerous fast bowlers in the identical lineup

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

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to the host nation in that era had Bob Willis, Lever and Snow, and the English side that triumphed in 1954-55 included Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

This time around - potentially the most exciting Ashes series in recent memory - the English team are hoping to overturn an awful record - they have been unable to secure a five-day game in Australia since that year

Only five members of the sixteen-player group have participated in a Test in Australia, but Atkinson comments that could help the visitors

"This could represent an benefit," he explained to reporters

"There are a many cricketers who have mentioned they have had some tough times down under

"For us, we are a quite calm, extremely confident squad

"No scarring

"It's exhilarating

"We all see it as a massive chance to achieve something remarkable"

Australian Preparations

Australia's net session on recently was briefly delayed by the possibility of bad weather

The home side are probably going to give a debut to batsman Jack Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Brendan Doggett also coming in following health issues to captain Pat Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood